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THE  WORLD'S 


Sixteen  Crucified  Saviors; 


OR, 

Cjtrteti aratjr  before  Christ. 

CONTAINING 


NEW,  STARTLING,  AND  EXTRAORDINARY  REVELATIONS  IN  RELIGIOUS 
HISTORY,  WHICH  DISCLOSE  THE  ORIENTAL  ORIGIN  OF  ALL 
THE  DOCTRINES,  PRINCIPLES,  PRECEPTS, 

AND  MIRACLES  OF  THE 


CHRISTIAN  NEW  TESTAMENT, 


AND  FURNISHING  A KEY  FOR  UNLOCKING  MANY 
OF  ITS  SACRED  MYSTERIES,  BESIDES 
COMPRISING  THE 

HISTORY  OR  SIXTEEN  HEATHEN  CRUCIFIED  GODS. 


BY 

KERSEY  GRAVES, 

AUTHOR  OF  “ THE  BIOGRAPHY  OF  SATAN,”  AND  “ THE  BIBLE  OF  BIBLES,” 
(COMPRISING  A DESCRIPTION  OF  TWENTY  BIBLES.) 


SIXTH  EDITION , REVISED  AND  ENLARGED . 


BOSTON : 

COLBY  AND  RICH,  PUBLISHERS, 

No.  9 Montgomery  Place. 

1878. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  187®, 
By  LYDIA  M.  GRAVES, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington, 


Stereotyped  at  the 

Boston  Stereotype  Foundry,  19  Spring  Lane. 


2-U 

/syg 


CONTENTS. 


PREFACE 

EXPLANATION. 

INTRODUCTION. 

ADDRESS  TO  THE  CLERGY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Rival  Claims  of  the  Saviors.  . 

CHAPTER  II. 


Messianic  Prophecies. 


C\ 

do 


Co 

1) 


s 


CM 

io 


CHAPTER  III. 

Prophecies  by  the  Figure  of  a Serpent. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Miraculous  and  Immaculate  Conception  of  the  Gods. 

CHAPTER  V. 

Virgin  Mothers  and  Virgin-born  Gods.  . . 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Stars  point  out  the  Time  and  the  Saviors’  Birth-place. 
CHAPTER  VII. 

Angels,  Shepherds,  and  Magi  visit  the  Infant  Saviors. 


Q 

00 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Twenty- fifth  of  December  the  Birthday  of  the  Gods 
CHAPTER  IX. 


Titles  of  the  Saviors. 


FAGH 

7 

11 

13 

19 

27 

33 

37 

41 

49 

53 

57 

62 

66 


4 


CONTENTS . 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  Saviors  op  Royal  Descent,  but  Humble  Birth.  • • 70 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Christ’s  Genealogy 72 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  World’s  Saviors  saved  from  Destruction  in  Infancy.  76 
CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  Saviors  exhibit  Early  Proofs  of  Divinity.  ...  83 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  Saviors’  Kingdoms  not  of  this  World 86 

CHAPTER  XV. 

The  Saviors  are  real  Personages. 88 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Sixteen  Saviors  Crucified .92 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

The  Aphanasia,  or  Darkness,  at  the  Crucifixion.  • .120 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Descent  of  the  Saviors  into  Hell.  • • « • • 126 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Resurrection  of  the  Saviors 128 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Reappearance  and  Ascension  of  the  Saviors.  . • • 135 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

The  Atonement:  its  Oriental  or  Heathen  Origin.  • • 138 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  Holy  Ghost  of  Oriental  Origin 146 


contejv  rs. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

The  Divine  “Word”  of  Oriental  Origin 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

The  Trinity  very  anciently  a current  Heathen  Doctrine. 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Absolution,  or  the  Confession  of  Sins,  of  Heathen  Origin. 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Origin  of  Baptism  by  Water,  Fire,  Blood,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

The  Sacrament  or  Eucharist  of  Heathen  Origin.  • 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Anointing  with  Oil  of  Oriental  Origin.  .... 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

How  Men,  including  Jesus  Christ,  came  to  be  worshiped 
as  Gods 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

Sacred  Cycles  explaining  the  Advent  of  the  Gods,  the 
Master-key  to  the  Divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  • 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Christianity  derived  from  Heathen  and  Oriental  Systems. 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Three  Hundred  and  Forty-six  striking  Analogies  between 
Christ  and  Chrishna 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

Apollonius,  Osiris,  and  Magus  as  Gods 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


5 

157 

162 

166 

168 

175 

178 

180 

197 

200 

226 

263 


The  Three  Pillars  of  the  Christian  Faith  — Miracles. 
Prophecies,  and  Precepts 


273 


6 


CONTENTS . 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

Logical  or  Common-sense  View  of  the  Doctrine  of  Divine 

Incarnation 308 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

Philosophical  Absurdities  of  the  Doctrine  of  the  Divine 

Incarnation 315 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

Physiological  Absurdities  of  the  Doctrine  of  the  Divine 

Incarnation 318 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

A Historical  View  of  the  Divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  • . 322 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

The  Scriptural  View  of  Christ’s  Divinity 327 

CHAPTER  XL. 

A Metonymic  View  of  the  Divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  • 339 
CHAPTER  XLI. 

The  Precepts  and  Practical  Life  of  Jesus  Christ.  • . 342 

CHAPTER  XLII. 

Christ  as  a Spiritual  Medium.  ••••••  357 

CHAPTER  XLIII. 

Conversion,  Repentance,  and  “ Getting  Religion”  of  Hea- 
then Origin 359 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 

The  Moral  Lessons  of  Religious  History 369 

CHAPTER  XLV. 

Conclusion  and  Review.  ••••••••  872 


NOTE  OP  EXPLANATION. 


878 


PREFACE. 


Inversely  to  the  remoteness  of  time  has  been  man’s 
ascent  toward  the  temple  of  knowledge.  Truth  has  made 
its  ingress  into  the  human  mind  in  the  ratio  by  which 
man  has  attained  the  capacity  to  receive  and  appreciate 
it.  Hence,  as  we  tread  back  the  meandering  pathway  of 
human  history,  every  step  in  the  receding  process  brings 
us  to  a lower  plane  of  intelligence  and  a state  of  mind 
more  thoroughly  encrusted  with  ignorance  and  supersti- 
tion. It  is,  therefore,  no  source  of  surprise  to  learn,  when 
we  take  a survey  of  the  world  two  or  three  thousand  years 
in  the  past,  that  every  religious  writer  of  that  era  com- 
mitted errors  on  every  subject  which  employed  his  pen, 
involving  a scientific  principle.  Hence  the  bible,  or 
sacred  book,  to  which  he  was  a contributor,  is  now  found 
to  bear  the  marks  of  human  imperfection.  For  the  temple 
of  knowledge  was  but  partially  reared,  and  its  chambers 
but  dimly  lighted  up.  The  intellectual  brain  was  in  a dark, 
feeble,  and  dormant  condition.  Hence  the  moral  and  reli- 
gious feelings  were  drifted  about  without  a pilot  on  the 
turbulent  waves  of  superstition,  and  finally  stranded  on 
the  shoals  of  bigotry.  The  Christian  bible,  like  other 
bibles,  having  been  written  in  an  age  when  science  was 
but  budding  into  life,  and  philosophy  had  attained  but  a 


8 


PREFA  CE. 


feeble  growth,  should  be  expected  to  teach  many  things 
incompatible  with  the  principles  of  modern  science.  And 
accordingly  it  is  found  to  contain,  like  other  bibles,  numer- 
ous statements  so  obviously  at  war  with  present  established 
scientific  truths  that  almost  any  school-boy,  at  the  present 
day,  can  demonstrate  their  falsity.  Let  the  unbiased 
reader  examine  and  compare  the  oriental  and  Christian 
bibles  together,  and  he  will  note  the  following  facts, 
viz. : — 

1.  That  the  cardinal  religious  conceptions  of  all  bibles 
are  essentially  the  same  — all  running  in  parable  grooves. 

2.  That  every  chapter  of  every  bible  is  but  a transcript 
of  the  mental  chart  of  the  writer. 

3.  That  no  bible,  pagan  or  Christian,  contains  anything 
surpassing  the  natural,  mental,  and  moral  capacity  of  the 
writer  to  originate.  And  hence  no  divine  aid  or  inspira- 
tion was  necessary  for  its  production. 

4.  That  the  moral  and  religious  teachings  of  no  bible 
reach  a higher  altitude  than  the  intelligence  and  mental  de- 
velopment of  the  age  and  country  which  produced  it. 

5.  That  the  Christian  bible,  in  some  respects , is  superior 
to  some  of  the  other  bibles,  but  only  to  the  extent  to  which 
the  age  in  which  it  was  written  was  superior  in  intelli- 
gence and  natural  mental  capacity  to  the  era  in  which  the 
older  bibles  were  penned  ; and  that  this  superiority  con- 
sists not  in  its  more  exalted  religious  conceptions,  but  only 
in  the  fact  that,  being  of  more  modern  origin,  the  progress 
of  mind  had  worn  away  some  of  the  legendary  rubbish  of 
the  past.  Being  written  in  a later  and  more  enlightened 
age,  it  is  consequently  a little  less  encrusted  with  mytho- 
logical tradition  and  oriental  imagery.  Though  not  free 


PREFACE. 


9 


from  these  elements,  it  possesses  them  in  less  degree.  And 
by  comparing  Christ’s  history  with  those  of  the  oriental 
Gods,  it  will  be  found,  — 

1.  That  he  taught  no  new  doctrine  or  moral  precept. 

2.  That  he  inculcated  the  same  religion  and  morality, 
which  he  elaborated,  as  other  moral  teachers,  to  great 
extremes. 

3.  That  Christ  differs  so  little  in  his  character,  preach- 
ing, and  practical  life  from  some  of  the  oriental  Gods,  that 
no  person  whose  mind  is  not  deplorably  warped  and  biased 
by  early  training  can  call  one  divine  while  he  considers  the 
other  human. 

4.  That  if  Christ  was  a God,  then  all  were  Gods. 

THE  AUTHOR, 

Richmond,  Indiana,  1875. 

PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 

As  but  a few  months  have  elapsed  since  the  first  edition  of 
this  work  was  published,  and  a second  edition  is  called  for,  the 
author  embraces  the  opportunity  to  lay  before  the  reader  a 
few  thoughts  appertaining  to  the  work.  He  desires,  in  the 
first  place,  to  say  the  work  has  been  carefully  reviewed  and 
corrected,  and  some  additions  made,  embracing  two  chapters 
from  “the  Bible  of  Bibles,”  and  some  explanatory  notes.  Ow- 
ing to  the  indisposition  of  the  author  at  the  time  the  work 
went  to  press,  the  manuscripts  were  sent  away  in  a somewhat 
defective  condition  ; so  that  the  errors  made  by  the  copyist) 
who  transcribed  most  of  them  for  the  press,  were  not  cor- 
rected. And  some  errors  also  crept  into  the  work  through 
the  hands  of  the  type-setters.  These  errors  were  so  numer- 
ous, they  may  have  had  the  effect  to  create  in  some  critical 


10 


PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION 


minds  an  unfavorable  impression  with  respect  to  the  character 
of  the  work.  But  the  author  has  carefully  examined  the  work 
since  it  came  from  the  press,  and  is  now  able  to  place  before 
the  reader  a greatly  improved  edition. 

The  author  also  desires  to  say  here,  that  the  many  flatter- 
ing letters  he  has  received  from  various  parts  of  the  country, 
from  those  who  have  supplied  themselves  with  the  work, 
excites  in  his  mind  the  hope  it  will  ultimately  effect  something 
towards  achieving  the  important  end  sought  to  be  attained  by 
its  publication  — the  banishment  of  that  wide-spread  delusion 
comprehended  in  the  belief  in  an  incarnate,  virgin-born  God, 
called  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  infallibility  of  his  teachings,  with 
the  numerous  evils  growing  legitimately  out  of  this  belief — 
among  the  most  important  of  which  is,  its  cramping  effect 
upon  the  mind  of  the  possessor,  which  interdicts  its  growth, 
and  thus  constitutes  a serious  obstacle  to  the  progress  both 
of  the  individual  and  of  society.  And  such  has  been  the 
blinding  effect  of  this  delusion  upon  all  who  have  fallen  vic- 
tims to  its  influence,  that  the  numerous  errors  and  evils  of  our 
popular  system  of  religious  faith,  which  constitute  its  legiti- 
mate fruits,  have  passed  from  age  to  age,  unnoticed  by  all 
except  scientific  and  progressive  minds,  who  are  constantly 
bringing  these  errors  and  evils  to  light.  This  state  of  things 
has  been  a source  of  sorrow  and  regret  to  every  philanthropist 
desiring  the  welfare  of  the  race.  And  if  this  work  shall 
achieve  anything  towards  arresting  this  great  evil,  the  author 
will  feel  that  he  is  amply  compensated  for  the  years  of  toil 
and  mental  labor  spent  in  its  preparation. 

Note.  — As  the  different  works  consulted  have  assigned  different  dates 
for  the  same  event,  the  author  has,  in  one  or  two  cases,  followed  their 
example,  accepting  them  as  authority  ; as  in  the  date  of  the  birth  and 
death  of  the  Gods  of  Mexico.  The  reader  will  also  notice  that  the  name 
of  the  same  God  is  found  in  different  countries.  Example  — Adonis  ar  d 
Bacchus  are  found  amongst  the  Gods  of  both  Greece  and  Egypt. 


EXPLANATION. 


4 The  World’s  Sixteen  Crucified  Saviors.’7  What  an 
imposing  title  for  a book  ! What  startling  developments  of 
religious  history  it  implies  ! Is  it  founded  on  fact  or  on 
fiction  ? If  it  has  a basis  of  truth,  where  was  such  an 
extraordinary  mine  of  sacred  lore  discovered  ? Where 
were  such  startling  facts  obtained  as  the  title  of  the  work 
suggests.  These  queries  will  doubtless  arise  as  soliloquies 
in  the  minds  of  many  readers  on  glancing  at  the  title-page. 
And  the  author  is  disposed  to  gratify  this  natural  and  most 
probable,  in  some  cases,  excited  curiosity  by  a brief  expla- 
nation. In  doing  this,  he  deems  it  only  necessary  to  state 
that  many  of  the  most  important  facts  collated  in  this  work 
were  derived  from  Sir  Godfrey  Higgins’  Anacalypsis,  a 
work  as  valuable  as  it  is  rare  — a work  comprising  the 
result  of  twenty  years’  labor,  devoted  to  the  investigation 
of  religious  history.  And  although  embodying  many  im- 
portant historical  facts  which  should  have  commanded  for 
it  a world-wide  circulation,  but  a few  copies  of  this  invalu- 
able treasury  of  religious  knowledge  have  ever  found  their 
way  into  this  country.  One  of  these  copies  the  author  of 
this  work  obtained,  at  no  inconsiderable  expense,  long 
enough  to  glean  from  its  pages  such  facts  as  he  presumed 
would  be  most  interesting  and  instructive  to  the  general 
reader,  some  of  which  will  be  found  in  nearly  every 
chapter  of  this  volume.  With  the  facts  and  materials 
derived  from  this  source,  and  200  other  unimpeachable 
historical  records,  the  present  work  might  have  been 
swelled  to  fourfold  its  present  size  without  exhausting 

11 


12 


EXPLAN  A TION. 


tho  author’s  ample  store  of  materials  and  would  have 
possessed  such  unwieldy  dimensions  but  for  a strict  con- 
formity to  the  most  rigid  rules  of  eclecticism  and  con- 
densation. A portion  of  the  excluded  materials,  however, 
will  be  found  in  another  volume  now  nearly  ready  for  the 
press.  In  the  author’s  two  works  just  noticed,  the  claims 
of  Christianity  are  presented  and  contested  upon  an  en- 
tirely new  ground  — that  of  their  historical  verity , differing 
in  this  respect  from  any  work  heretofore  published,  ex- 
cepting a few  brief  essays  which  cover  a portion  of  the 
ground  only.  Encouraged  by  the  extensive  demand  for 
his  former  work,  “ The  Biography  of  Satan,”  which  has 
passed  through  seven  editions,  the  author  cherishes  the 
hope  that  the  present  work  will  meet  with  a circulation 
commensurate  with  the  importance  of  the  many  invaluable 
facts  which  it  contains.  For  he  possesses  the  sad  convic- 
tion that  the  many  religious  errors  and  evils  which  it  is 
the  object  of  this  work  to  expose,  operate  very  seriously 
to  retard  the  moral  and  intellectual  growth  and  prosperity 
of  all  Christian  countries.  They  have  the  effect  to  injure 
mentally,  morally,  and  religiously  the  great  body  of  Chris- 
tian professors. 

KSg*  Dr.  Prince,  of  Long  Island  (now  deceased),  wrote 
to  the  author,  respecting  the  thirty-fifth  chapter  of  this 
work,  entitled  “ The  Logical  Yiew  of  the  Incarnation,” 
after  he  had  seen  it  in  the  columns  of  a newspaper,  “ It  is 
a masterly  piece  of  logic,  and  will  startle,  if  it  does  not 
revolutionize,  the  orthodox  world.  And  the  chapters  com- 
prising 1 The  Philosophical  Yiew  ’ and  1 The  Physiological 
View,’  were  afterward  pronounced  specimens  of  profound 
and  unanswerable  logical  reasoning.”  We  thus  call  the 
reader’s  attention  to  these  chapters  in  advance,  in  order 
to  induce  that  thorough  attention  to  their  facts  and  argu- 
ments which  will  result  in  banishing  from  his  mind  the  last 
vestiges  of  a belief  (if  he  entertain  any)  in  the  doctrine  of 
the  divine  incarnation. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Important  Facts  constituting  the  Basis  op  this  Work, 

Ignorance  of  science  and  ignorance  of  history  are  the 
two  great  bulwarks  of  religious  error.  There  is  scarcely 
a tenet  of  religious  faith  now  propagated  to  the  world  by 
the  professed  disciples  of  Christ  but  that,  if  subjected  to  a 
rigid  test  in  the  ordeal  of  modern  science,  would  be  found 
to  contain  more  or  less  error.  Vast  acquisitions  have  been 
made  in  the  fields  of  science  and  history  within  the  last 
half  century,  the  moral  lessons  of  which  have  done  much 
to  undermine  and  unsettle  our  popular  system  of  religious 
faith,  and  to  bring  into  disrepute  or  effectually  change 
many  of  its  long-cherished  dogmas.  The  scientific  and 
historical  facts  thus  brought  before  the  intelligent  public, 
have  served  as  keys  for  explaining  many  of  the  doctrines 
comprised  in  the  popular  creed.  They  have  poured  a flood 
of  light  upon  our  whole  system  of  religion  as  now  taught 
by  its  popular  representatives,  which  have  had  the  effect 
to  reveal  many  of  its  errors  to  those  who  have  had  the 
temerity,  or  the  curiosity,  to  investigate  it  upon  these 
grounds.  Many  of  the  doctrines  and  miraculous  events 
which  have  always  been  assigned  a divine  emanation  by 
the  disciples  of  the  Christian  faith,  are,  by  these  scientific 
and  historical  disclosures,  shown  to  be  explainable  upon 
natural  grounds,  and  to  have  exclusively  a natural  basis. 

13 


14 


INTRO D UCTION. 


Some  of  them  are  shown  to  be  solvable  by  recently  de- 
veloped spiritual  laws,  while  others  are  proven  to  be 
founded  wholly  in  error.  The  intelligent  community  are 
now  acquainted  with  many  of  these  important  facts,  so 
that  no  man  of  science  can  be  found  in  this  enlightened 
age  who  can  popularly  be  termed  a Christian.  No  man 
can  be  found  in  any  Christian  country  who  has  the  estab- 
lished reputation  of  being  a man  of  science,  or  who  has  made 
any  proficiency  in  the  whole  curriculum  of  the  sciences, 
whose  creed,  when  examined  by  an  orthodox  committee, 
would  not  be  pronounced  unsound.  It  is  true  that  many 
of  the  scientific  class,  not  possessing  the  conviction  that 
duty  imposes  the  moral  necessity  of  making  living  martyrs 
of  themselves,  have  refrained  from  fully  avowing  or  dis- 
closing to  the  public  their  real  convictions  of  the  popular 
faith.  The  changes  and  improvements  in  religious  ideas 
now  observable  in  the  most  intelligent  portion  of  the  com- 
munity, are  due  in  part  to  the  rapid  progress  of  scientific 
discovery  and  the  dissemination  of  scientific  knowledge  in 
Christian  countries.  The  explorer  in  the  field  of  religious 
history,  however,  comes  in  here  for  his  meed  of  praise. 
New  stores  of  historic  facts  and  data  may  be  reckoned 
among  the  recent  acquisitions  of  the  laborious  archeolo- 
gist ; new  fountains  of  religious  history  have  recently 
been  unsealed,  which  have  had  the  effect  to  reveal  many 
errors  and  false  claims  set  up  for  the  current  religion  of 
Christendom  — a religion  long  regarded  as  settled  and 
stereotyped.  For  many  centuries  subsequent  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Christian  religion  but  little  was  known  by 
its  disciples  of  the  character,  claims,  and  doctrines  of  the 
oriental  systems  of  worship.  These  religions,  in  fact,  were 
scarcely  known  to  exist,  because  they  had  long  been  vailed 
in  secrecy.  They  were  found,  in  some  cases,  enshrined  in 
religious  books  printed  or  written  in  a language  so  very 
ancient  and  obscure,  as  to  bid  defiance  for  centuries  to 


INTRODUCTION, 


15 


the  labors  of  the  most  indefatigable,  profound,  and  erudite 
archeological  scholar  to  decipher  it.  That  obstacle  is  now 
partially  surmounted.  The  recent  translation  for  the  first- 
time  of  the  Hindoo  Vedas  into  the  English  language  (the 
oldest  bible  now  extant  or  ever  written)  has  revealed  to 
the  unwelcome  gaze  of  the  Christian  reader  the  startling 
fact  that  u the  heathen  ” had  long  been  in  possession  of 
11  holy  books/’  possessing  essentially  the  same  character, 
and  teaching  essentially  the  same  doctrines,  as  the  Christian 
bible  — there  being,  as  Horace  Greeley  expresses  it,  “ no 
doctrine  of  Christianity  but  what  has  been  anticipated  by 
the  Vedas.”  (See  Vol.  II.  Chap.  1,  of  this  work.)  If,  then, 
this  heathen  bible  (compiled,  according  to  the  Christian 
missionary  Bev.  D.  0.  Allen,  1400  B.  C.)  contains  all  the 
doctrines  of  Christianity,  then  away  goes  over  the  dam  all 
claim  for  the  Christian  bible  as  an  original  revelation,  or 
a work  of  divine  inspiration.  Bibles  are  thus  shown  to  be 
of  heathen  and  human  origin,  instead  of  heavenly  and  divine 
authorship,  as  claimed  for  them  by  their  respective  dis- 
ciples — the  Christian  bible  forming  no  exception  to  this 
statement.  The  latter,  being  essentially  like  other  bibles, 
it  must,  of  course,  have  had  the  same  or  a similar  origin 
— a fact  which,  though  it  may  be  new  and  startling  to 
millions,  will  be  universally  accepted  as  truth  before  the 
lapse  of  many  generations,  and  a fact  which  confronts  with 
open  denial  the  claims  of  two  hundred  millions  of  Christian 
professors,  who  assert  with  unscrupulous  boldness  that 
every  doctrine,  principle,  and  precept  of  their  bible  is  of 
divine  emanation.  How  utterly  groundless  and  untenable 
is  such  a claim  when  arranged  by  the  side  of  modern  dis- 
coveries in  religious  history  ! Equally  unsupportable  is 
the  declaration  that  i;  there  is  no  other  name  given  under 
heaven  whereby  men  can  be  saved,  than  that  of  Jesus 
Christ  and  him  crucified,”  when  viewed  in  the  light  of  the 
modern  explorations  of  Sir  Godfrey  Higgins,  which  have 


16 


INTRODUCTION. 


disclosed  the  history  of  nearly  a score  of  crucified  Gods, 
and  sin-atoning  Saviors,  who,  we  have  equal  proof,  died 
for  the  sins  of  mankind.  Thus  the  two  prime  articles  of 
the  Christian  faith  — Revelation  and  Crucifixion  — are  for- 
ever established  as  human  and  heathen  conceptions.  And 
the  hope  might  be  reasonably  entertained  that  the  impor- 
tant historical  facts  disclosed  in  this  work  will  have  the 
effect  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  professors  of  the  Christian 
religion  to  see  their  serious  error  in  putting  forth  such 
exalted  claims  for  their  bible  and  their  religion  as  that  of 
being  perfect  products  of  infinite  wisdom,  did  not  the 
past  history  of  all  religious  countries  furnish  sad  proof 
that  reason  and  logic,  and  even  the  most  cogent  and  con- 
vincing facts  of  science  and  history,  often  prove  powerless 
when  arrayed  against  a religious  conviction,  enstamped 
upon  the  mind  for  thousands  of  years  in  the  past,  and 
transmitted  from  parent  to  child  until  it  has  grown  to  a 
colossal  stature,  and  become  a part  of  the  living  tissues  of 
the  soul.  No  matter  how  glaringly  absurd,  how  palpably 
erroneous,  or  how  demonstrably  false  an  opinion  or  doc- 
trine is  shown  to  be,  they  cannot  see  it,  but  will  still  con- 
tinue to  hug  it  to  their  bosoms  as  a divinely-revealed 
truth.  No  facts  or  evidence  can  prove  an  overmatch  for 
the  inherited  convictions  of  a thousand  generations.  In 
this  respect  the  Mahomedan,  the  Hindoo,  and  the  Chris- 
tian, all  stand  upon  a level.  It  is  about  as  easy  to  con- 
vince one  as  the  other  of  their  easily- demonstrated  errors. 

Religion  of  Natural  Origin. 

Among  the  numerous  errors  traceable  in  the  history  of 
every  religious  sect,  commemorated  in  the  annals  of  the 
world,  none  possesses  a more  serious  character,  or  has  been 
attended  with  more  deplorable  consequences,  than  that  of 
assigning  a wrong  origin  to  religion.  Every  bible,  every 


INTRODUCTION. 


17 


sect,  every  creed,  every  catechism,  and  every  orthodox 
sermon  teaches  that  “ religion  is  the  gift  of  God,”  that 
u it  is  infused  into  the  soul  by  the  spirit  and  power  of  the 
Lord.”  Never  was  a greater  mistake  ever  committed. 
Every  student  of  anthropology,  every  person  who  has 
read  any  of  the  numerous  modern  works  on  mental  sci- 
ence, and  tested  their  easily-demonstrated  facts,  knows 
that  religion  is  of  natural , and  not  supernatural , origin ; 
that  it  is  a natural  element  of  the  human  mind , and  not  a 
11  direct  gift  from  Croc?;”  that  it  grows  as  spontaneously 
out  of  the  soul  as  flowers  spring  out  of  the  ground.  It  is 
as  natural  as  eating,  sleeping,  or  breathing.  This  conclu- 
sion is  not  the  offspring  of  mere  imagination.  It  is  no 
hastily-concocted  theory,  but  an  oft-demonstrated  and 
scientifically-established  fact,  which  any  person  can  test 
the  truth  of  for  himself.  And  this  modern  discovery  will, 
at  no  distant  day,  revolutionize  all  systems  of  religious  faith 
in  existence,  and  either  dissolve  and  dissipate  them,  or 
modify  and  establish  them  upon  a more  natural  and  endur- 
ing basis,  expurgated  of  their  dogmatic  errors.  Let  us, 
then,  labor  to  banish  the  wide-spread  delusion,  believed 
and  taught  by  a thousand  systems  of  worship  — Jew,  Pa- 
gan, and  Christian  — that  u religion  is  of  supernatural  or 
divine  origin,”  and  the  many  ruinous  errors,  senseless 
dogmas,  and  deplorable  soul-crushing  superstitions  so 
thoroughly  inwrought  into  the  Christian  system,  will 
vanish  like  fog  before  the  morning  sun,  and  be  replaced 
by  a religion  which  sensible,  intelligent,  and  scientific 
men  and  women  can  accept,  and  will  delight  to  honor  and 
practice. 

I 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  CLERGY. 


Friends  and  brethren  — teachers  of  the  Christian  faith : 
Will  you  believe  us  when  we  tell  you  the  divine  claims  of 
your  religion  are  gone  — all  swept  away  by  the  “ logic  of 
history/7  and  nullified  by  the  demonstrations  of  science  ? 
The  recently  opened  fountains  of  historic  lore,  many  of 
whose  potent  facts  will  be  found  interspersed  through  the 
pages  of  this  work,  sweep  away  the  last  inch  of  ground 
on  which  can  be  predicated  the  least  show  for  either  the 
divine  origin  of  the  Christian  religion,  or  the  divinity  of 
Jesus  Christ.  For  these  facts  demonstrate  beyond  all 
cavil  and  criticism,  and  with  a logical  force  which  can 
leave  not  the  vestige  of  a doubt  upon  any  unbiased  mind, 
that  all  its  doctrines  are  an  outgrowth  from  older  heathen 
systems.  Several  systems  of  religion  essentially  the  same 
in  character  and  spirit  as  that  religion  now  known  as  Chris- 
tianity, and  setting  forth  the  same  doctrines,  principles, 
and  precepts,  and  several  personages  filling  a chapter  in 
history  almost  identical  with  that  of  Jesus  Christ,  it  is 
now  known  to  those  who  are  up  with  the  discoveries  and 
intelligence  of  the  age,  were  venerated  in  the  East  cen- 
turies before  a religion  called  Christian,  or  a personage 
called  Jesus  Christ,  were  known  to  history.  Will  you 
not,  then,  give  it  up  that  your  religion  is  merely  a human 
production,  reconstructed  from  heathen  materials,  — from 
oriental  systems  several  thousand  years  older  than  yours, 
— or  will  you  continue,  in  spite  of  the  unanimous  and 

19 


20 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  CLERGY. 


unalterable  verdict  of  history,  science,  facts,  and  logic,  U 
proclaim  to  the  world  the  now  historically  demonstrated 
error  which  you  have  so  long  preached,  that  God  is  the 
author  of  your  religion,  and  Jesus  Christ  a Deity-begotten 
Messiah?  Though  you  may  have  heretofore  honestly 
believed  these  doctrines  to  be  true,  you  can  now  no  longer 
plead  ignorance  as  an  excuse  for  propagating  such  gigantic 
and  serious  errors,  as  they  are  now  overwhelmingly  demon- 
strated by  a thousand  facts  of  history  to  be  untrue.  You 
must  abandon  such  exalted  claims  for  your  religion,  or  pos- 
terity will  mark  you  as  being  “ blind  leaders  of  the  blind.” 
They  will  heap  upon  your  honored  names  their  unmitigated 
ridicule  and  condemnation.  They  will  charge  you  as  being 
either  deplorably  ignorant,  or  disloyal  to  the  cause  of  truth. 
And  shame  and  ignominy  will  be  your  portion.  The  fol- 
lowing propositions  (fatal  to  your  claims  for  Christianity) 
are  established  beyond  confutation  by  the  historical  facts 
cited  in  this  work,  viz. : — 

1.  There  were  many  cases  of  the  miraculous  birth  of 
Gods  reported  in  history  before  the  case  of  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  Also  many  other  cases  of  Gods  being  born  of  virgin 
mothers. 

3.  Many  of  these  Gods,  like  Christ,  were  (reputedly) 
born  on  the  25th  of  December. 

4.  Their  advent  into  the  world,  like  that  of  Jesus  Christ, 
is  in  many  cases  claimed  to  have  been  foretold  by  “ in- 
spired prophets.” 

5.  Stars  figured  at  the  birth  of  several  of  them,  as  in  the 
case  of  Christ. 

6.  Also  angels,  shepherds,  and  magi,  or  u wise  men.” 

7.  Many  of  them,  like  Christ,  were  claimed  to  be  of  royal 
or  princely  descent. 

8.  Their  lives,  like  his,  were  also  threatened  in  infancy 
by  the  ruler  of  the  country. 

9.  Several  of  them,  like  him,  gave  early  proof  of  divinity 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  CLERGY. 


21 


10.  And,'  like  him,  retired  from  the  world  and  fasted. 

11.  Also,  like  him,  declared,  “ My  kingdom  is  not  of  this 
world.” 

12.  Some  of  them  preached  a spiritual  religion,  too, 
like  his. 

13.  And  were  “ anointed  with  oil,”  like  him. 

14.  Many  of  them,  like  him,  were  “ crucified  for  the  sins 
of  the  world.” 

15.  And  after  three  days7  interment “ rose  from  the  dead.77 

16.  And  finally,  like  him,  are  reported  as  ascending  back 
to  heaven. 

17.  The  same  violent  convulsions  of  nature  at  the  cruci- 
fixion of  several  are  reported. 

18.  They  were  nearly  all  called  “ Saviors,77  “Son  of  God,77 
“ Messiah,77  “ Redeemer,77  “ Lord,77  &c. 

19.  Each  one  was  the  second  member  of  the  trinity  of 
“ Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.77 

20.  The  doctrines  of  “ Original  Sin,77  “ Fall  of  Man,77 
“ The  Atonement,77  “ The  Trinity,77  “ The  Word,77  “ For- 
giveness,77 “ An  angry  God,77  “ Future  Endless  Punish- 
ment,77 &c.,  &c.  (see  the  author’s  “ Biogrophy  of  Satan  77 ), 
were  a part  of  the  religion  of  each  of  these  sin-atoning 
Gods,  as  found  set  forth  in  several  oriental  bibles  and 
“ holy  books,77  similar  in  character  and  spirit  to  the  Chris- 
tian’s bible,  and  written, like  it, by  “inspired  and  holy  men77 
before  the  time  of  either  Christ  or  Moses  (before  Moses,  in 
some  cases,  at  least).  All  these  doctrines  and  declara- 
tions, and  many  others  not  here  enumerated,  the  histori- 
cal citations  of  this  work  abundantly  prove,  were  taught 
in  various  oriental  heathen  nations  centuries  before  the 
birth  of  Christ,  or  before  Christianity,  as  a religion,  was 
known  in  the  world.  Will  you,  then,  after  learning  these 
facts,  longer  dare  assert  that  Christianity  is  of  divine 
emanation,  or  claim  a special  divine  paternity  for  its 
author.  Only  the  priest,  who  loves  his  salary  more  than 


22 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  CLERGY. 


the  cause  of  truth  (and  I fear  this  class  are  numerous),  or 
who  is  deplorably  ignorant  of  history,  will  have  the  ef- 
frontery or  audacity  to  do  so.  For  the  historical  facts 
herein  set  forth  as  clearly  prove  such  assumptions  to  be 
false,  as  figures  can  demonstrate  the  truth  of  any  mathe- 
matical problem.  And  no  logic  can  overthrow,  and  no 
sophistry  can  set  aside,  these  facts.  They  will  stand  till 
the  end  of  time  in  spite  of  your  efforts  either  to  evade, 
ignore,  or  invalidate  them.  We  will  here  briefly  state 

Why  all  the  Ancient  Religions  were  alike. 

Two  causes  are  obviously  assignable  for  Christianity  in 
all  its  essential  features  and  phases,  being  so  strikingly 
similar  to  the  ancient  pagan  systems  which  preceded  it, 
as  also  the  close  analogies  of  all  the  principal  systems, 
whose  doctrines  and  practical  teachings  have  found  a place 
on  the  page  of  history. 

1.  The  primary  and  constituent  elements  and  properties 
of  human  nature  being  essentially  the  same  in  all  countries 
and  Lill  centuries,  and  the  feeling  called  Religion  being  a 
spontaneous  outgrowth  of  the  devotional  elements  of  the 
human  mind,  the  coincidence  would  naturally  produce 
similar  feelings,  similar  thoughts,  similar  views,  and  simi- 
lar doctrines  on  the  subject  of  religion  in  different  coun- 
tries, however  widely  separated.  This  accounts  in  part 
for  the  analogous  features  observable  in  all  the  primary 
systems  of  religious  faith,  which  have  flourished  in  the  past 
ages. 

2.  A more  potent  cause,  however,  for  the  proximate 
identity  extending  to  such  an  elaborate  detail,  as  is 
evinced  by  the  foregoing  schedule,  is  found  in  the  histori- 
cal incident  which  brought  the  disciples  of  the  various 
systems  of  worship  together,  face  to  face,  in  the  then 
grand  religious  emporium  of  the  world  — the  royal  and 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  CLERGY. 


23 


renowned  city  of  Alexandria,  the  capital  of  Egypt.  Here, 
drawn  together  by  various  motives  and  influences,  the 
devotee  of  India  (the  devout  disciple  of  Buddhism),  the 
ever-prayerful  worshiper  of  “ Mithra,  the  Mediator,77  the 
representatives  of  the  crucified  Quexalcoate  of  Mexico,  the 
self-denying  Essene,  the  superstitious  Egyptian,  the  godly 
Chaldean,  the  imitative  Judean  founders  of  Christianity, 
and  the  disciples  of  other  sin-atoning  Gods,  met  and  inter- 
changed ideas,  discussed  their  various  dogmas,  remolded 
their  doctrines,  and  recast  and  rehabilitated  their  systems 
of  religious  faith  by  borrowing  from  each  other,  and  from 
other  systems  there  represented.  In  this  way  all  became 
remarkably  similar  and  alike  in  all  their  doctrines  and  de- 
tails. And  thus  the  mystery  is  solved,  and  the  singular 
resemblance  of  all  the  ancient  systems  of  religion  satis- 
factorily accounted  for.  (For  a fuller  explanation  of  this 
matter  see  Chapters  XXX.  and  XXXI.  of  this  work.)  In 
conclusion  please  note  the  following  points  : — 

1.  The  religious  conceptions  of  the  Old  Testament  are 
as  easily  traced  to  heathen  sources  as  those  of  the  New 
Testament.  But  we  are  compelled  to  exclude  such  an  ex- 
position from  this  work. 

2.  The  comparative  exhibition  of  the  doctrines  and 
teachings  of  twenty  bibles  which  proves  them  to  be  in 
their  leading  features  essentially  alike  (originally  designed 
for  this  volume),  is  found  to  be,  when  completed,  of  suf- 
ficient magnitude  to  constitute  a volume  of  itself. 

3.  Here  I desire  to  impress  upon  the  minds  of  my  cleri- 
cal brethren  the  important  fact,  that  the  gospel  histories 
of  Christ  were  written  by  men  who  had  formerly  been 
Jews  (see  Acts  xxi.  20),  and  probably  possessing  the 
strong  proclivity  to  imitate  and  borrow  which  their  bible 
shows  was  characteristic  of  that  nation ; and  being  written 
many  years  after  Christ’s  death,  according  to  that  standard 
Christian  author,  Dr.  Lardner,  it  was  impossible,  under  such 


24 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  CLERGY. 


circumstances,  for  them  to  separater(if  they  had  desired  to) 
the  real  facts  and  events  of  his  life  from  the  innumerable 
fictions  and  fables  then  afloat  everywhere  relative  to  the 
heathen  Gods  who  had  pre-enacted  a similar  history.  Two 
reasons  are  thus  furnished  for  their  constructing  a history 
of  Christ  almost  identical  with  that  of  other  Gods,  as  shown 
in  Chapters  XXX.,  XXXI.,  and  XXXII.  of  this  work. 

4.  The  singular  and  senseless  defense  of  your  now  tot- 
tering system  we  have  known  to  be  attempted  by  mem- 
bers of  your  order,  by  the  self-complacent  soliloquy  u Chris- 
tianity, whether  divine  or  human,  is  good  enough  for  me.” 
But  such  a subterfuge  betrays  both  a weak  mind  and  a 
weak  cause.  The  disciples  of  all  the  oriental  systems 
cherished  a similar  feeling  and  a similar  sentiment.  And 
the  deluded  followers  of  Brigham  Young  exclaim  in 
like  manner,  u I want  nothing  better  than  Mormonism.’’ 
“ Snakes,  lizards,  and  frogs  are  good  enough  for  me,”  a 
South  Sea  Islander  once  exclaimed  to  a missionary,  when 
a reform  diet  was  proposed.  Such  logic,  if  universally 
adopted,  would  keep  the  world  eternally  in  barbarism. 
No  progress  can  be  made  where  such  sentiments  prevail. 
The  truth  is,  no  system  of  religion,  whatever  its  ostensible 
marks  of  perfection,  can  long  remain  u good  enough  ” for 
aspiring  and  progressive  minds,  unless  occasionally  im- 
proved, like  other  institutions.  And  then  it  should  be 
borne  in  mind,  that  our  controversy  does  not  appertain 
so  much  to  the  character  as  to  the  origin  of  the  Christian 
religion.  Our  many  incontrovertible  proofs,  that  it  is  of 
human  and  heathen  origin,  proves  at  the  same  time  that  it 
is  an  imperfect  system,  and  as  such  needing  occasional  im- 
provement, like  other  institutions.  And  its  assumed  per- 
fection and  divine  origin,  which  have  always  guarded  it 
from  improvement,  amply  accounts  for  its  present  corrupt, 
immoral,  declining,  and  dying  condition,  which  a recent 
number  of  Zion’s  Watchman  proclaims  is  now  its  real 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  CLERGY. 


25 


condition.  And  it  will  ere  long  die  with  paralysis,  unless 
its  assumption  of  divine  perfection  is  soon  exchanged  for 
the  principles  of  improvement  and  reconstruction.  This 
policy  alone  can  save  it. 

5.  We  will  here  notice  another  feeble,  futile,  and  foolish 
expedient  we  have  known  resorted  to  by  persons  of  your 
order  to  save  your  sinking  cause  when  the  evidence  is 
presented  with  such  cogency  as  to  admit  of  no  disproof, 
that  all  the  important  doctrines  of  Christianity  were  taught 
by  older  heathen  systems  before  the  era  of  Christ.  The 
plea  is,  that  those  systems  were  mere  types,  or  ante-types, 
of  the  Christian  religion.  But  this  plea  is  of  itself  a bor- 
rowed subterfuge  of  heathenism,  and  is  moreover  devoid 
of  evidence.  The  ancient  Egyptians,  also  the  Greeks, 
claimed  that  Brahminism  was  a type,  or  ante-type,  of  their 
religious  systems.  And  Mahomedans  now  claim  that 
both  Judaism  and  Christianity  were  designed  by  God  as 
foreshadowing  types  of  the  religion  of  the  Koran.  And 
the  disciples  of  more  than  a thousand  systems  of  religion 
which  have  flourished  in  past  ages,  could  have  made  such 
logic  equally  available  in  showing,  in  each  case,  that  every 
system  preceding  theirs  was  designed  by  Infinite  Wisdom 
as  simply  a typical  or  ante-typical  forerunner  of  theirs. 
How  ridiculous  and  senseless,  therefore,  is  the  argument 
thus  shown  to  be  when  critically  examined  in  the  light  of 
history  ! so  much  so  as  scarcely  to  merit  a serious  notice. 

6.  Here  permit  us  to  say  that  we  believe  Christianity  to 
be  not  only  of  human  origin,  but  of  natural  origin  also ; 
that  is,  a natural  outgrowth,  like  other  systems,  of  the  reli- 
gious elements  of  the  human  mind  — a hypothesis  which 
accounts  most  beautifully  for  the  numerous  human  imper- 
fections now  visible  in  nearly  every  line  of  its  teachings. 
Those  imperfections  correspond  exactly  to  the  imperfect 
minds  which  produced  it. 

7.  And  we  believe  that  the  principal  teacher  of  Chris- 


26 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  CLERGY. 


tianity,  u the  man  Christ  Jesus/’  possessed  a very  exalted 
and  superior  mind  for  that  age  in  the  moral  and  religious 
departments,  and  in  the  intellectual  to  some  exteht  also. 
But  his  superiority  in  these  respects  was  not  probably 
greater  than  that  of  Jenny  Lind’s  of  the  present  age  in  the 
musical  department,  or  than  those  of  Zera  Colburn  or  Henry 
Safford  in  the  mathematical  department.  And  all  proba- 
bly derived  their  peculiar  extraordinary  traits  of  mind 
from  the  same  causes  — that  of  strong  psychological  in- 
fluence impressed  upon  the  mind  of  the  mothers  prior  to 
their  births.  Had  these  ante-natal  influences  been  as  well 
understood  then  as  now,  we  presume  Christ  would  have 
escaped  the  fate  of  an  exaltation  to  the  Godhead. 

8.  In  conclusion,  permit  us  to  say  that  the  numerous  and 
overwhelming  facts  of  this  work  render  it  utterly  impos- 
sible that  the  exalted  claims  you  put  forth  for  your  religion 
and  its  assumed  author  (that  of  a divine  character)  can  be 
true.  And  posterity  will  so  decide,  whether  you  do  or 
not.  Cherishing  for  you  naught  but  feelings  of  kindness 
and  brotherly  love,  and  desiring  to  promote  the  truth,  we 
will  answer  any  question,  or  discuss  any  proposition  em- 
braced in  this  work  you  may  desire. 

Your  brother, 

Kersey  Graves. 

Richmond,  Indiana,  1875. 


THE  WORLD’S 


SIXTEEN  CRUCIFIED  SAVIORS. 


CHAPTER  I.* 

RIVAL  CLAIMS  OF  THE  SAVIORS. 

It  is  claimed  by  the  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  he  was  of 
supernatural  and  divine  origin  ; that  he  had  a human  being  for 
a mother,  and  a God  for  his  father;  that,  although  he  was 
woman-conceived,  he  was  Deity-begotten,  and  molded  in  the 
human  form,  but  comprehending  in  essence  a full  measure  of 
the  infinite  Godhead  ; thus  making  him  half  human  and  half 
divine  in  his  sublunary  origin.  It  is  claimed  that  he  was  full 
and  perfect  God,  and  perfect  man;  and  while  he  was  God,  he 
was  also  the  son  of  God,  and  as  such  was  sent  down  by  his 
father  to  save  a fallen  and  guilty  world;  and  that  thus  his 
mission  pertained  to  the  whole  human  race ; and  his  inspired 
seers  are  made  to  declare  that  ultimately  every  nation,  tongue, 
kindred,  and  people  under  heaven  will  acknowledge  allegiance 
to  his  government,  and  concede  his  right  to  reign,  and  rule  the 
world ; that  “every  knee  must  bow,  and  every  tongue  confess 
that  Jesus  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father.” 

But  we  do  not  find  that  this  prophecy  has  ever  been  or  is 
likely  to  be  fulfilled.  We  do  not  observe  that  this  claim  to  the 
infinite  deityship  of  Jesus  Christ  ha3  been  or  is  likely  to  be 
universally  conceded.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  found  that  by  a 

27 


28 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS, 


portion,  and  a large  portion  of  the  people  of  even  those  nations 
now  called  Christian,  this  claim  has  been  steadily  and  unswerv- 
ingly controverted,  through  the  whole  line  of  history,  stretch- 
ing through  the  nearly  two  thousand  years  which  have  elapsed 
since  his  advent  to  earth.  Even  some  of  those  who  are  rep- 
resented to  have  been  personally  acquainted  with  him  — ay ! 
some  of  his  own  brethren  in  the  flesh,  children  in  the  same 
household,  children  of  the  same  mother  — had  the  temerity 
to  question  the  tenableness  of  his  claim  to  a divine  emana- 
tion. And  when  we  extend  our  researches  to  other  countries, 
we  find  this  claim,  so  far  from  being  conceded,  is  denied  and 
contested  by  whole  nations  upon  other  grounds.  It  is  met  and 
confronted  by  rival  claims.  Upon  this  ground  hundreds  of 
millions  of  the  established  believers  in  divine  revelation  — hun- 
dreds of  millions  of  believers  in  the  divine  character  and  origin 
of  religion — reject  the  pretensions  set  up  for  Jesus  Christ. 
They  admit  both  a God  and  a Savior,  but  do  not  accept  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  as  being  either.  They  admit  a Messiah,  but  not 
the  Messiah : these  nations  contend  that  the  title  is  misplaced 
which  makes  “the  man  Christ  Jesus”  the  Savior  of  the  world. 
They  claim  to  have  been  honored  with  the  birth  of  the  true 
Savior  among  them,  and  defend  this  claim  upon  the  ground  of 
priority  of  date.  They  aver  that  the  advent  of  their  Messiahs 
were  long  prior  to  that  of  the  Christians’,  and  that  this  circum- 
stance adjudicates  for  them  a superiority  of  claim  as  to  having 
had  the  true  Messiah  born  upon  their  soil.  It  is  argued  that, 
as  the  story  of  the  incarnation  of  the  Christians’  Savior  is  of 
more  recent  date  than  that  of  these  oriental  and  ancient  reli- 
gions (as  is  conceded  by  Christians  themselves),  the  origin  of 
the  former  is  thus  indicated  and  foreshadowed  as  being  an 
outgrowth  from,  if  not  a plagiarism  upon,  the  latter  — a bor- 
rowed copy,  of  which  the  pagan  stories  furnish  the  original. 
Here,  then,  we  observe  a rivalship  of  claims,  as  to  which  of 
the  remarkable  personages  who  have  figured  in  the  world  as 
Saviors,  Messiahs,  and  Sons  of  God,  in  different  ages  and  differ- 
ent countries,  can  be  considered  the  true  Savior  and  “ sent  of 
God;  ” or  whether  all  should  be,  or  the  claims  of  all  rejected. 

For  researches  into  oriental  history  reveal  the  remarkable 


RIVAL  CLAIMS  OF  THE  SAVIORS. 


26 


fact  that  stories  of  incarnate  Gods  answering  to  and  resem- 
bling the  miraculous  character  of  Jesus  Christ  have  been  prev- 
alent in  most  if  not  all  the  principal  religious  heathen  nations 
of  antiquity ; and  the  accounts  and  narrations  of  some  of  these 
deific  incarnations  bear  such  a striking  resemblance  to  that  of 
the  Christian  Savior,  — not  only  in  their  general  features,  but  in 
some  cases  in  the  most  minute  details,  from  the  legend  of  the 
immaculate  conception  to  that  of  the  crucifixion,  and  subse- 
quent ascension  into  heaven,  — that  one  might  almost  be  mis- 
taken for  the  other. 

More  than  twenty  claims  of  this  kind  — claims  of  beings  in- 
vested with  divine  honor  (deified)  — have  come  forward  and 
presented  themselves  at  the  bar  of  the  world  with  their  creden- 
tials, to  contest  the  verdict  of  Christendom,  in  having  pro- 
claimed Jesus  Christ,  “ the  only  son,  and  sent  of  God  : ” twen- 
ty Messiahs,  Saviors,  and  Sons  of  God,  according  to  history  or 
tradition,  have,  in  past  times,  descended  from  heaven,  and 
taken  upon  themselves  the  form  of  men,  clothing  themselves 
with  human  flesh,  and  furnishing  incontestable  evidence  of  a 
divine  :rigin,  by  various  miracles,  marvelous  works,  and  super- 
lative virtues;  and  finally  these  twenty  Jesus  Christs  (accepting 
their  character  for  the  name)  laid  the  foundation  for  the  salva- 
tion of  the  world,  and  ascended  back  to  heaven. 


1.  Chrishna  of  Hindostan. 

2.  Budha  Sakia  of  India. 

3.  Salivahana  of  Bermuda. 

4.  Zulis,  or  Zhule,  also  Osiris 

and  Orus,  of  Egypt. 

5.  Odin  of  the  Scandinavi- 

ans. 

6.  Crite  of  Chaldea. 

7.  Zoroaster  and  Mithra  of 

Persia. 

8.  Baal  and  Taut,  “ the  only 

Begotten  of  God,”  of 
Phenicia. 

9.  Indi  a of  Thibet. 


10.  Bali  of  Afghanistan. 

11.  Jao  of  Nepaul. 

12.  Wittoba  of  the  Bilingo- 

nese. 

13.  Thammuz  of  Syria. 

14.  Atys  of  Phrygia. 

15.  Xamolxis  of  Thrace. 

16.  Zoar  of  the  Bonzes. 

17.  Adad  of  Assyria. 

18.  Deva  Tat,  and  Sammono- 

cadam  of  Siam. 

19.  Alcides  of  Thebes. 

20.  Mikado  of  the  Sintoos. 

21.  Beddru  of  Japan. 


30 


THE  WORLD'S  SA  VIOLS. 


* 

22.  Hesus  or  Eros,  and  Brem- 

rillah,  of  the  Druids. 

23.  Thor,  son  of  Odin,  of  the 

Gauls. 

24.  Cadmus  of  Greece. 

25.  Hil  and  Feta  of  the  Man- 

dates. 

26.  Gentaut  and  Quexalcote 

of  Mexico. 

27.  Universal  Monarch  of  the 

Sibyls. 

These  have  all  received  divine  honors,  have  nearly  all  been 
worshiped  as  Gods,  or  sons  of  God  ; were  mostly  incarnated  as 
Christs,  Saviors,  Messiahs,  or  Mediators  ; not  a few  of  them  were 
reputedly  born  of  virgins ; some  of  them  filling  a character  almost 
identical  with  that  ascribed  by  the  Christian’s  bible  to  Jesus 
Christ;  many  of  them,  like  him,  are  reported  to  have  been  cruci- 
fied ; and  all  of  them,  taken  together,  furnish  a prototype  and  par- 
allel for  nearly  every  important  incident  and  wonder-inciting 
miracle,  doctrine,  and  precept  recorded  in  the  New  Testament, 
of  the  Christian’s  Savior.  Surely  with  so  many  Saviors  the 
world  cannot,  or  should  not,  be  lost.  We  have  now  presented 
before  us  a twofold  ground  for  doubting  and  disputing  the  claims 
put  forth  by  the  Christian  world  in  behalf  of  “ Our  Lord  and 
Savior  Jesus  Christ.”  In  the  first  place,  allowing  the  question 
to  be  answered  in  the  affirmative  as  to  whether  he  was  really  a 
Savior,  or  supernatural  being,  or  more  than  a mere  man,  a neg- 
ative answer  to  which  seems  to  have  been  sprung  (as  pre- 
viously intimated)  at  the  very  hour  of  his  birth,  and  that  by 
his  kindred,  his  own  nearest  relatives;  as  it  is  declared, 
“his  own  brethren  did  not  believe  on  him,”  — a skepticism 
which  has  been  growing  deeper  and  broader  from  that  day 
to  this. 

And  now,  upon  the  heel  of  this  question,  we  find  another 
formidable  query  to  be  met  and  answered,  viz.:  Was  he  (Christ) 


28.  Ischy  of  the  Island  Df  For 

mosa. 

29.  Divine  Teacher  of  Plato. 

30.  Holy  One  of  Xaca 

31.  Fohi  and  Tien  of  China. 

32.  Adonis,  son  of  the  virgin 

Io  of  Greece. 

33.  Ixion  and  Quirinus  of 

Rome. 

34.  Prometheus  of  Caucasus. 

35.  Mohamud,  or  Mahomet,  of 

Arabia. 


RIVAL  CLAIMS  OF  THE  SAVIORS . 3i 

the  only  Savior,  seeing  that  a multitude  of  similar  claims  are 
now  upon  our  council-board  to  be  disposed  of? 

We  shall,  however,  leave  the  theologians  of  the  various  reli- 
gious schools  to  adjust  and  settle  this  difficulty  among  them- 
selves. We  shall  leave  them  to  settle  the  question  as  best  they 
can  as  to  whether  Jesus  Christ  was  the  only  son  and  sent  of 
God  — “ the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,”  as  John  declares 
him  to  be  (John  i.  14)  — in  view  of  the  fact  that  long  prior  to 
his  time  various  personages,  in  different  nations,  were  invested 
with  the  title,  “ Son  of  God,”  and  have  left  behind  them  sim- 
ilar proofs  and  credentials  of  the  justness  of  their  claims  to 
such  a title,  if  being  essentially  alike  — as  we  shall  prove  and 
demonstrate  them  to  be  — can  make  their  claims  similar.  We 
shall  present  an  array  of  facts  and  historical  proofs,  drawn  from 
numerous  histories  and  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  bibles  apper- 
taining to  these  various  Saviors,  and  which  include  a history  of 
their  lives  and  doctrines,  that  will  go  to  show  that  in  nearly  all 
their  leading  features,  and  mostly  even  in  their  details,  they  are 
strikingly  similar. 

A comparison,  or  parallel  view,  extended  throughout  their 
sacred  histories,  so  as  to  include  an  exhibition  presented  in  par- 
allels of  the  teachings  of  their  respective  bibles,  would  make  it 
clearly  manifest  that,  with  respect  to  nearly  every  important 
thought,  deed,  word,  action,  doctrine,  principle,  precept,  tenet, 
ritual,  ordinance,  or  ceremony,  and  even  the  various  important 
characters  or  personages,  who  figure  in  their  religious  dramas 
as  Saviors,  prophets,  apostles,  angels,  devils,  demons,  exalted  or 
fallen  genii  — in  a word,  nearly  every  miraculous  or  marvel- 
ous story,  moral  precept,  or  tenet  of  religious  faith,  noticed  in 
either  the  Old  or  New  Testament  Scriptures  of  Christendom, 
— from  the  Jewish  cosmogony,  or  story  of  creation  in  Genesis, 
to  the  last  legendary  tale  in  St.  John’s  “ Arabian  Nights  ” ( alias 
the  Apocalypse),  — there  is  to  be  found  an  antitype  for,  or 
outline  of,  somewhere  in  the  sacred  records  or  bibles  of  the  ori- 
ental heathen  nations,  making  equal  if  not  higher  pretension  to 
a divine  emanation  and  divine  inspiration,  and  admitted  by  all 
historians,  even  the  most  orthodox,  to  be  of  much  more  ancient 
date  \ for  while  Christians  only  claim,  for  the  earthly  advent 


32 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


of  their  Savior  and  the  birth  of  their  religion,  a period  less  than 
nineteen  hundred  years  in  the  past,  on  the  contrary,  most  of 
the  deific  or  divine  incarnations  of  the  heathen  and  their 
respective  religions  are,  by  the  concurrent  and  united  verdict 
of  all  history,  assigned  a date  several  hundred  or  several  thou- 
sand years  earlier,  thus  leaving  the  inference  patent  that  so 
far  as  there  has  been  any  borrowing  or  transfer  of  materials 
from  one  system  to  another,  Christianity  has  been  the  bor- 
rower. And  as  nearly  the  whole  outline  and  constituent  parts 
of  the  Christian  system  are  found  scattered  through  these  older 
systems,  the  query  is  at  once  sprung  as  to  whether  Christian 
ity  did  not  derive  its  materials  from  these  sources,  — that  is, 
from  heathenism,  instead  of  from  high  heaven,  as  it  claims. 


MESSIANIC  PROPHECIES . 


38 


CHAPTER  II. 

MESSIANIC  PROPHECIES. 

Neakly  all  religious  history  is  prophetic  of  the  coming  of 
Saviors,  Messiahs,  Redeemers,  and  virgin-born  Gods.  Most 
religious  countries,  and  more  than  a score  of  religious  systems, 
had  a standing  prophecy  that  a divine  deliverer  would  descend 
from  heaven  and  relieve  them  from  their  depressed  state,  and 
ameliorate  their  condition.  And  in  most  cases  that  prophecy 
Was  believed  to  have  been  fulfilled  by  the  birth  of  a being,  who, 
as  he  approached  the  goal  of  moral  and  intellectual  manhood, 
exhibited  such  remarkable  proof  of  superiority  of  mind  as  to 
be  readily  accepted  as  the  promised  Messiah.  We  can  only 
find  room  for  a few  citations  and  illustrations  in  proof  of  this 
statement.  Many  texts  have  been  hunted  out  and  marked  in 
the  Christian  bible,  by  interested  priests,  as  prophetic  of  the 
coming  and  mission  of  Christ.  But  a thorough,  candid,  and 
impartial  investigation  will  convince  any  reader  that  none  of 
these  texts  have  the  remotest  allusion  to  Christ,  nor  were  they 
intended  to  have.  On  the  contrary,  most  of  them  refer  to 
events  already  past.  The  others  are  the  mere  ebullitions  of 
pent-up  feelings  hopefully  prayerful  in  their  anticipation  of 
better  times,  but  very  indefinite  as  to  the  period  and  the  agen- 
cies or  means  in  which,  or  by  which,  the  desired  reformation 
was  to  be  brought  about.  A divine  man  was  prayed  for  and 
hopefully  expected.  But  no  such  a being  as  Jesus  Christ  is 
anticipated,  or  alluded  to,  or  dreamed  of,  by  the  prophecies. 
And  it  requires  the  most  unwarrantable  distortion  to  make  one 
text  refer  to  him.  But  this  perversion  has  been  wrought  on 
3 


34 


THE  WORLD  S SA  VIORS. 


many  texts.  We  will  cite  one  case  in  proof.  In  Isaiah’s  “ fa- 
mous prophecy,”  so  called,  the  phrase  “Unto  us  a child  is 
born  ” (Isa.  ix.  6),  the  context  clearly  shows,  refers  to  the  proph- 
et’s own  child,  and  the  past  tense,  “ is  born,”  is  an  evidence  the 
child  was  then  born.  And  the  title  “ Mighty  God,”  found  in 
the  text,  Dr.  Beard  shows  should  have  been  translated  “the 
Mighty  Hero,”  thus  proving  it  has  no  reference  to  a God.  And 
“ the  Everlasting  Father”  should  have  been  rendered,  according 
to  this  Christian  writer,  “ the  Father  of  the  Everlasting  Age.” 
And  other  texts  often  quoted  as  prophecies  by  biased  Christian 
writers,  the  doctor  proves,  are  erroneously  translated,  and  have 
no  more  reference  to  Christ  than  to  Mahomet.  It  is  true  the 
Jews,  in  common  with  other  nations,  cherished  strong  anticipa- 
tions of  the  arrival  of  a Mighty  Deliverer  amongst  them  ; and 
this  august  personage  some  of  them  supposed  would  be  a God, 
or  a God-man  (a  demi-God).  Hence  such  prophetic  utterances 
as,  “ Behold,  a king  shall  reign  in  righteousness  ” (Isa.  xxxii.  1), 
“And  all  nations  shall  flow  unto  Zion”  (Isa.  ii.  2).  The  Hin- 
doo Budhists  long  previously  indulged  similar  anticipations 
with  respect  to  the  triumph  of  their  religion.  Hence  their  seers 
prophesied  that  at  the  end  of  the  Cali  Yug  period,  a divine 
child  (Avatar,  or  Savior)  would  be  born,  who  would  understand 
the  divine  writings  (the  Holy  Scriptures)  and  the  sciences, 
without  the  labor  of  learning  them.  “ He  will  supremely  un- 
derstand all  things.”  “ He  will  relieve  the  earth  of  sin,  and 
cause  justice  and  truth  to  reign  everywhere.  And  will  bring 
the  whole  earth  into  the  acceptance  of  the  Hindoo  religion.” 
And  the  Hindoo  prophet  Bala  also  predicted  that  a divine 
Savior  would  “become  incarnate  in  the  house  of  Yadu,  and 
issue  forth  to  mortal  birth  from  the  womb  of  Devaci”  (a  Holy 
Virgin),  and  relieve  the  oppressed  earth  of  its  load  of  sin  and 
sorrow.”  Much  more  similar  language  may  be  found  in  their 
holy  bible,  the  Vedas.  Colonel  Wilford  tells  us  the  advent 
of  their  Savior  Chrishna  occurred  in  exact  fulfillment  of  proph- 
ecy found  in  their  sacred  books. 

And  the  Chinese  bible  also  contains  a number  of  Messianic 
prophecies.  In  one  of  the  five  volumes  a prophecy  runs  thus : 


MESSIANIC  PROPHECIES . 


85 


“ The  Holy  One,  when  he  comes,  will  unite  in  himself  nil  the 
virtues  of  heaven  and  earth.  By  his  justice  the  world  will  be 
established  in  righteousness.  He  will  labor  and  suffer  much, 
. . . and  will  finally  offer  up  a sacrifice  worthy  of  himself,”  i.  e., 
worthy  of  a God.  And  a singular  animal,  called  the  Kilin  (sig- 
nifying the  Lamb  of  God),  was  seen  in  the  yard,  with  a stone 
in  its  mouth,  on  which  was  inscribed  a prophecy  of  the  event. 
And  when  the  young  God  (Chang-ti)  was  born,  in  fulfillment 
of  this  prophecy,  heavenly  music,  and  angels,  and  shepherds 
attended  the  scene.  See  “History  of  China”  by  Martinus, 
also  Halde’s  “History  of  China,”  and  “Putnam’s  Maga- 
zine.” 

We  will  also  give  place  to  a Messianic  prophecy  of  Persia. 
Mr.  Faber,  an  English  writer,  in  his  “ History  of  Idolatry,”  tells 
us  that  Zoroaster  prophetically  declared,  that  “ A virgin  should 
conceive  and  bear  a son,  and  a star  would  appear  blazing  at 
midday  to  signalize  the  occurrence.”  “ When  you  behold  the 
star,”  said  he  to  his  followers,  “follow  it  whithersoever  it  leads 
you.  Adore  the  mysterious  child,  offering  him  gifts  with  pro- 
found humility.  He  is  indeed  the  Almighty  Word  which  cre- 
ated the  heavens.  He  is  indeed  your  Lord  and  everlasting 
King.”  (Faber,  vol.  ii.  p.  92.)  Abulfaragius,  in  his  “Historia 
Dynastarium,”  and  Maurice,  in  his  “ Indian  Skeptics  Refuted,” 
both  speak  of  this  prophecy,  fulfilled,  according  to  Mr.  Higgins, 
by  the  advent  of  the  Persian  and  Chaldean  God  Josa.  And 
Chalcidius  (of  the  second  century),  in  his  “ Comments  on  the 
Timeas  of  Plato,”  speaks  of  “a  star  which  presaged  neither  dis- 
ease nor  death,  but  the  descent  of  a God  amongst  men,  and  which 
is  attested  by  Chaldean  astronomers,  who  immediately  hastened 
to  adore  the  new-born  deity,  and  present  him  gifts.”  We  are 
compelled  to  omit,  for  the  want  of  room,  the  notice  of  numer- 
ous Messianic  prophecies  found  in  the  sacred  writings  of  Egypt, 
Greece,  Rome,  Mexico,  Arabia,  and  other  countries,  all  of  which 
tend  to  show  that  the  same  prophetic  spirit  pervaded  all  reli- 
gious countries,  reliable  only  to  the  extent  it  might  have  issued 
from  an  interior  spiritual  vision,  or  have  been  illuminated  by  de- 
parted spirits.  And  we  find  as  much  evidence  that  these  pagan 


36 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


prophecies  were  inspired,  and  also  fulfilled,  as  those  found  in 
Jew  - Christian  bible,  thus  reducing  all  to  a common  level. 
The  possibility  of  the  interior  vision  being  expanded  and  illu- 
minated by  spiritual  beings,  so  as  to  enable  the  possessor  to 
forestall  the  occurrence  of  future  events,  we,  however,  by  no 
means  deny,  since  we  have  abundant  proof  of  it  in  connection 
with  the  practical  history  of  modern  Spiritualism.  (See  Chap- 
ter XXXIV.,  section  2.) 


PROPHECIES  BT  THE  FIGURE  OF  A SERPENT . 37 


CHAPTER  III. 

PROPHECIES  BY  THE  FIGURE  OF  A SERPENT. 

The  Seed  of  the  Woman  bruising  the  Serpent’s  Head. 

“ And  I will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman,  and 
between  thy  seed  and  her  seed.  It  shall  bruise  thy  head,  and 
thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel.”  (Gen.  iii.  15.)  This  text  is  often 
cited  by  Christian  writers  and  controversialists  as  prefiguring 
the  mission  of  the  Christian  Savior,  viz.,  the  destruction  of 
the  serpent,  alias  the  devil.  St.  John  calls  “ the  grand  adver- 
sary of  souls  which  deceiveth  the  whole  world  ” 46  the  dragon, 
the  serpent,  the  devil,  and  Satan.”  (Rev.  xii.  8.)  The  serpent, 
then,  is  the  devil ; that  is,  the  dragon,  the  serpent,  the  devil, 
and  Satan  are  all  one.  The  object  of  this  chapter  is  to  show  the 
origin  of  the  singular  figure  set  forth  in  the  first  text  quoted, 
and  to  prove  that  those  Christian  writers  who  assume  it  to  be 
a revelation  from  heaven  were  profoundly  ignorant  of  oriental 
history,  as  the  same  figure  is  found  in  several  heathen  systems 
of  older  date,  as  we  will  now  cite  the  facts  to  prove.  Some  of 
the  saviors  or  demigods  of  Egypt,  India,  Greece,  Persia, 
Mexico,  and  Etruria  are  represented  as  performing  the  same 
drama  with  the  serpent  or  devil.  “ Osiris  of  Egypt  (says  Mr. 
Bryant)  bruised  the  head  of  the  serpent  after  it  had  bitten  his 
heel.”  Descending  to  Greece,  Mr.  Faber  relates,  that  “on  the 
spheres  Hercules  is  represented  in  the  act  of  contending  with 
the  serpent,  the  head  of  which  is  placed  under  his  foot;  and  this 
serpent  guarded  the  tree  with  golden  fruit  in  the  midst  of  the 
garden  Hesperides”  — Eden.  (Origin  of  Idolatry,  vol.  i.  p. 
443.)  “And  we  may  observe,”  says  this  author, 44  the  same  tra- 
dition in  the  Phenician  fable  of  Ophion  or  Ophiones.”  (Ibid.) 


as 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


In  Genesis  the  serpent  is  the  subject  of  two  legends.  But 
here  it  will  be  observed  they  are  both  couched  in  one. 

Again,  it  is  related  by  more  than  one  oriental  writer  that 
Chrishna  of  India  is  represented  on  some  very  ancient  sculp- 
tures and  stone  monuments  with  his  heel  on  the  head  of  a ser- 
pent. Mr.  Maurice,  in  his  Indian  Antiquities,  vol.  ii.,  speaks  of 
“ Chrishna  crushing  the  head  of  a serpent  with  his  foot,”  and 
pronounces  the  striking  similarity  of  this  story  with  that  found 
in  the  Christian  bible  as  “ very  mysterious.”  Another  author 
tells  us,  “ The  image  of  Chrishna  is  sculptured  in  the  ancient 
temples  of  India,  sometimes  wreathed  in  the  folds  of  a serpent 
which  is  biting  his  foot,  and  sometimes  treading  victoriously 
on  the  head  of  a serpent.”  (Prog.  Rel.  Ideas,  vol.  i.)  In 
the  Mexican  Antiquities,  vol.  vi.,  we  are  told,  “A  messenger 
from  heaven  announced  to  the  first  woman  created  (Suchique- 
cul),  that  she  should  bear  a son  who  should  bruise  the  serpents 
head,  and  then  presented  her  with  a rose.”  Here  is  the  origin 
of  the  Genesis  legend,  the  rose  being  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of 
u the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil.”  “The  ancient  Persians,” 
says  Yolney,  in  his  “ Ruins  of  Empires,”  p.  169,  u had  the  tradi- 
tion of  a virgin,  from  whom  they  predicted  would  be  born,  or 
would  spring  up,  a shoot  (a  son)  that  would  crush  the  serpent’s 
head,  and  thus  deliver  the  world  from  sin.”  And  both  the  ser- 
pent and  the  virgin,  he  tells  us,  are  represented  imaginarily  in 
the  heavens,  and  pictured  on  their  astronomical  globes  and 
spheres,  as  on  those  of  the  Romish  Christian.  (See  Burritt’s 
Geography  of  the  Heavens.)  In  the  ancient  Etrurian  story,  in- 
stead of  “ the  seed  of  the  woman  ” (the  virgin),  it  is  the  woman 
herself  who  is  represented  as  standing  with  one  foot  on  the 
head  of  a serpent,  which  has  the  twig  of  an  apple  tree  in  its 
mouth  to  which  an  apple  is  suspended  (the  forbidden  fruit), 
while  its  tail  is  twisted  around  a celestial  globe,  thus  reminding 
us  of  St.John’s  dragon  hauling  down  one  third  of  the  stars  with 
his  tail.  (See  Rev.  xii.  4.)  In  the  ancient  celestial  diagram 
of  the  Etrurians,  the  head  of  the  virgin  is  surmounted  with  a 
crown  of  stars  — doubtless  the  same  legend  from  which  St. 
John  borrowed  his  metaphor  of  “a  woman  with  a crown  of 
twelve  stars  on  her  head.”  fRev.  xiii.)  “ The  Regina  Steilarum  ” 


PROPHECIES  BY  THE  FIGURE  OF  A SERPENT.  39 


(Queen  of  the  Stars),  spoken  of  in  some  of  the  ancient  systems, 
appertains  to  the  .same  fable.  Also  the  tradition  of  Achilles  of 
Greece  being  invulnerable  in  the  heel,  as  related  by  Homer, 
The  last  clause  of  the  first  text  quoted  reads,  “ It  shall  bruise 
thy  head  ” — a very  curious  prophetic  reference  to  the  savior  of 
the  world,  if  the  text  refers  to  him,  to  represent  him  as  being 
of  the  neuter  gender,  for  the  neuter  pronoun  it  always  refers  to 
a thing  without  sex. 

In  the  further  exposition  of  the  serpent  tradition,  we  are  now 
brought  to  notice,  and  will  trace  to  its  origin,  the  story  of  the 
original  transgression  and  fall  of  man  — two  cardinal  doctrines 
of  the  Christian  religion.  Like  every  other  tenet  of  the  Chris- 
tian faith,  we  find  these  doctrines  taught  in  heathen  systems 
much  older  than  Christianity,  and  whose  antiquity  antedates 
even  the  birth  of  Moses.  We  will  first  notice  the  Persian  tra- 
dition. u According  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Persians,”  says  the 
Rev.  J.  C.  Pitrat,  “Meshia  and  Meshiane,  the  first  man  and 
first  woman,  were  pure,  and  submitted  to  Ormuzd,  their  maker. 
But  Ahriman  (the  evil  one)  saw  them,  and  envied  them  their 
happiness.  He  approached  them  under  the  form  of  a serpent, 
presented  fruits  to  them,  and  persuaded  them  that  he  was  the 
maker  of  man,  of  animals,  of  plants,  and  of  the  beautiful  uni- 
verse in  which  they  dwelt.  They  believed  it.  Since  that  time 
Ahriman  was  their  master.  Their  natures  became  corrupt,  and 
this  corruption  infested  their  whole  posterity.”  This  story  is 
taken  from  the  Yandidatsade  of  the  Persians,  pp.  305  and  428. 

The  Indian  or  Hindoo  story  is  furnished  us  by  the  Rev. 
Father  Bouchat,  in  a letter  to  the  bishops  of  Avranches,  and 
runs  thus  : “Our  Hindoos  say  the  Gods  tried  by  all  means  to 
obtain  immortality.  After  many  inquiries  and  trials,  they  con- 
ceived the  idea  that  they  would  find  it  in  the  tree  of  life, 
which  is  in  the  Chorcan  (paradise).  In  fact  they  succeeded, 
and  by  eating  once  in  a while  of  the  fruits  of  that  tree,  they 
kept  the  precious  treasure  they  so  much  valued.  A famous 
snake,  named  Cheiden,  saw  that  the  tree  of  life  had  been  found 
by  the  Gods  of  the  second  order.  As  probably  he  had  been 
intrusted  with  guarding  that  tree,  he  became  so  angry  because 
his  vigilance  had  been  deceived,  that  he  immediately  poured 


40 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


out  an  enormous  quantity  of  poison,  which  spread  over  the 
whole  earth.”  How  much  like  this  is  the  story  of  St.  John, 
“And  the  serpent  cast  out  of  his  mouth  water  as  a flood  after 
the  woman  that  he  might  cause  her  to  be  carried  away  of  the 
flood”  ! (Rev.  xii.  15.)  The  idea  of  a snake  or  serpent  inundat- 
ing the  earth  from  its  mouth,  as  taught  in  both  stories,  is  so 
novel,  and  so  far  removed  from  the  sphere  of  natural  causes 
and  possible  events,  that  we  are  compelled  to  the  conclusion 
that  one  is  borrowed  from  the  other,  or  both  from  a common 
original.  And  as  facts  cited  in  other  chapters  prove  beyond 
dispute  that  the  Hindoo  system,  containing  this  story,  extends 
in  antiquity  far  beyond  the  time  of  Moses,  the  question  is  thus 
settled  as  to  which  system  borrowed  the  story  from  the  other. 

Before  closing  the  chapter,  we  wish  to  call  the  attention  of 
the  reader  to  the  important  fact  that  three  out  of  four  of  the 
cardinal  doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith  are  taught  in  the  two 
heathen  mythological  stories  of  creation  just  presented,  viz., — 

1.  Original  sin. 

2.  The  fall  of  man  caused  by  a serpent. 

3.  The  consequent  corruption  and  depravity  of  the  human 
race. 

These  doctrines,  then,  it  must  be  admitted,  are  of  heathen 
origin,  and  not,  as  Christians  claim,  “ important  truths  revealed 
from  heaven.”  For  a historical  exposition  of  the  other  cardinal 
doctrine  of  the  Christian  faith,  viz.,  man’s  restoration  by  the 
atonement  achieved  through  the  crucifixion  of  a God,  see 
Chapters  xvi.  and  xxi. 


MIRACULOUS  CONCEPTION  OF  THE  GODS . 41 


CHAPTER  IV. 

MIRACULOUS  AND  IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION  OF 
THE  GODS. 

The  ancients  very  naturally  concluded  that  an  offspring  of 
God  (a  son  of  God)  should  have  a purer,  higher,  and  holier 
maternal  origin  than  is  incident  to  the  lot  of  mortals,  and  this 
was  to  constitute  one  of  the  evidences  of  his  emanation  from 
the  Deity  — that  is,  of  his  supernatural  or  divine  origin.  He, 
as  a matter  of  course,  must  not  only  have  a different  origin,  but 
one  in  the  highest  degree  superior  and  supernatural.  He  must 
not  only  be  able  to  claim  the  highest  paternal  origin,  but  the 
highest  maternal  also.  And  on  the  part  of  the  mother,  a 
sexual  connection  with  the  great  Potentate  of  heaven  would 
evince  for  her  offspring  the  very  acme  of  superiority  with  re- 
spect to  his  origin,  moral  perfection,  and  authority.  That  the 
Savior  was  born  of  a woman  could  not  possibly  be  made  a 
matter  of  concealment.  But  his  paternal  parentage  was  not 
so  obvious  and  apparent  to  general  observation,  being  cognizant 
alone  to  the  mother.  This  circumstance  furnished  the  most 
propitious  opportunity  to  concoct  the  story  that  “The  Most 
High  ” had  condescended  and  descended  to  become  both  a 
father  and  a grandfather  to  a human  being,  or  a being  appar- 
ently human  at  least. 

We  say  grandfather,  because,  if  God  (as  the  Christian  bible 
itself  frequently  asserts,  both  directly  and  by  implication)  is 
father  of  the  whole  human  family,  then  he  was  father  to  the 
maternal  parent;  so  that  her  son,  though  deriving  existence 
from  him,  would  be  his  grandson  as  well  as  his  son.  Hence 


42 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


the  corollary,  Jesus  Christ  was  a grandson  of  God  as  well  as 
a son  of  God , and  Jehovah  both  his  father  and  grandfather. 

Again,  to  make  the  origin  and  character  of  the  God  and 
Saviour  stand  higher  for  purity,  and  partake  in  the  highest 
degree  of  the  miraculous,  the  impression  must  go  abroad  that 
he  was  born  of  a woman  while  she  was  yet  a maiden  — i.  e.,  be- 
fore she  was  contaminated  by  illicit  association  with  the  mas- 
culine sex.  Hence  nearly  all  the  saviors  were  reputedly  born 
of  virgins.  And  the  process  of  birth,  too,  was  out  of  the  line 
of  natural  causes,  in  order  to  invest  the  character  of  the  savior 
with  the  ne  plus  ultra  of  the  miraculous.  And  hence  it  is  re- 
lated of  Jesus  Christ  (in  an  Apocryphal  Gospel),  of  Chrishna 
of  India,  and  other  saviors,  that  they  were  born  through  the 
mothers’  side.  It  is  true  our  present  canonical  gospels  are 
silent  as  to  the  manner  of  Christ’s  birth ; but  one  of  the  Apoc- 
ryphal gospels,  which  gives  the  matter  in  fuller  detail,  and 
whose  authority  in  the  earlier  ages  of  the  Christian  church 
was  not  disputed,  declares  that  the  manner  of  his  birth  was 
as  related  above.  And,  besides,  some  of  the  early  Christian 
fathers  fully  indorsed  the  story.  The  same  is  related  in  the 
pagan  bibles  of  heathen  Gods.  The  motives  which  originated 
the  reports  of  the  immaculate  conception  of  the  Saviors,  it  may 
be  further  remarked,  were  of  a twofold  character : — 

1.  To  establish  their  spotless  origin  (as  the  word  immacu- 
late means  spotless ). 

2.  To  make  it  appear  that  there  was  a Deific  power  and 
agency  concerned  in  their  conception. 

And  we  may  observe  here  that  it  is  not  the  Saviors  alone 
who  are  reported  to  have  been  ushered  into  tangible  existence 
without  a human  father,  but  it  is  declared  of  beings  known  and 
acknowledged  to  be  men,  as  Plato,  Pythagoras,  Alexander, 
Augustus,  and  a number  of  others.  Of  Plato  an  author  re- 
marks, “He  was  born  of  Pareatonia,  and  begotten  of  Apollo, 
and  not  Ariston,  his  father.”  Both  the  manner,  or  process,  and 
the  source  of  the  influence  by  which  the  Gods  and  Saviors 
were  generated,  seem  to  have  been  different  in  different  coun- 
tries, though  the  idea  of“  overshadowing  with  the  Holy  Ghost  ” 
seems  to  have  been  most  current.  Mr.  Higgins  says  that  “ the 


MIRACULOUS  CONCEPTION  OF  THE  GODS.  43 


Supreme  First  Cause  was  generally  believed  to  overshadow,  or 
in  some  other  mysterious  manner  to  impregnate,  the  mother  of 
the  God,  or  personage”  (vol.  i.  378).  We  are  told  that  Py- 
thais,  the  mother  of  Pythagoras,  five  hundred  and  fifty  years 
B.  C.,  conceived  by  a specter  or  ghost  (of  course  the  Holy 
Ghost)  of  the  God  Apollo,  or  God  Sol. 

In  Malcolm’s  “ History  of  Persia”  (vol.  i.  494)  the  author  tells 
us  that  “ Zoroaster  was  born  of  an  immaculate  conception  by  a 
ray  from  the  Divine  Reason.”  The  immaculate  conception  of 
Juno  of  Greece  is  thus  described  by  the  poet : — 

“ Juno  touched  the  flower; 

Its  wondrous  virtues  such, 

She  touched  it,  and  grew  pregnant  at  the  touch ; 

Then  entered  Thrace  — the  Propontic  shore ; 

When  mistress  of  her  touch, 

God  Mars  she  bore.” 

This  case  may  certainly  be  set  down  as  the  ne  plus  uhra  of 
etiquette  with  respect  to  sexual  commerce  or  purity  of  concep- 
tion. The  sweet  odor  of  an  expanded  flower,  we  are  here 
taught,  is  adequate  to  the  conception  and  production  of  a God. 
Here  we  have  “the  immaculate  conception”  in  the  superlative 
degree,  and  while  much  more  beautiful  and  grand,  it  cannot  be 
more  senseless  or  unreasonable  than  the  conception  by  a ghost. 
It  proves  at  least  that  the  doctrine  of  the  immaculate  concep- 
tion is  of  very  ancient  date.  And  this  fastidious  maiden  lady 
and  immaculate  virgin,  Juno,  not  only  conceived  the  God  Mars 
by  the  touch  of  a flower,  but  she  also  (so  the  story  reads)  con- 
ceived Vulcan  by  being  overshadowed  by  the  wind  — exactly 
a parallel  case  with  that  of  the  virgin  Mary,  as  we  find  that 
ghost,  in  the  original,  means  wind.  Thus  we  observe  that 
Vulcan,  long  before  Jesus  Christ  was  “born  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,”  i.  e.,  both  were  conceived  by  the  “ Holy  Wind.”  And 
the  author  of  the  “ Perennial  Calendar  ” speaks  of  the  miracn- 
lous  conception  of  Juno  Jugulis,  “the  blessed  virgin  queen  of 
heaven,”  and  describes  it  as  falling  on  the  2d  of  February, 
the  very  day  which  the  early  Christians  celebrated  with  a 
festival,  as  being  the  date  of  the  conception  of  the  “ ever 


44 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


Blessed  Virgin  Mary.”  Of  the  ancient  Mexicans  it  is  said, 
“they  had  the  immaculate  conception,  the  crucifixion,  and  the 
resurrection  after  three  days.”  (Mex.  Antiq.,  vol.  i.)  And  in 
an  ancient  work  called  “Codex  Vaticanus,”  the  immaculate 
conception  is  spoken  of  as  a part  of  the  history  of  Quexalcote, 
the  Mexican  Savior.  “ Suchiquecal,”  says  the  Mexican  Anti- 
quities, “was  called  the  Queen  of  Heaven.  She  conceived 
a son  without  connection  with  a man  ” — a very  obvious  case 
of  immaculate  conception.  Alvarez  Semedo,  in  his  “ History 
of  China,”  page  89,  speaks  of  a sect  in  that  country  who 
worshiped  a Savior  known  as  Xaca,  who  was  reputedly  con- 
ceived of  his  mother,  Maia,  by  a white  elephant,  which  she 
saw  in  her  sleep,  and  “ for  greater  purity,  she  brought  him  forth 
from  one  of  her  sides.”  Colonel  Tod,  of  England,  tells  us  in  his 
“History  of  the  Rajahs,”  page  57,  that  Yu,  the  first  Chinese 
monarch,  was  conceived  by  his  mother  being  struck  with  a star 
while  traveling.  In  the  case  of  Christ,  it  will  be  recollected, 
Ihe  star  did  not  appear  till  after  his  birth.  But  here  the  star 
is  the  author  and  agent  of  the  conception.  According  to 
Ranking’s  “History  of  the  Moguls,”  page  178,  Tamerlane’s 
mother  (of  Bermuda)  professedly  conceived  by  having  had 
sexual  intercourse  with  “the  God  of  Day.”  The  mother  of 
Ghengis  Khan,  of  Tartary,  “being  too  modest  to  claim  that  she 
was  the  mother  of  the  son  of  God,  said  only  that  he  was 
the  son  of  the  sun”  (History  of  Moguls,  page  65.)  Both 
Julis  and  Osiris  of  Egypt  are  spoken  of  by  some  authors  as 
having  been  honored  with  a divine  immaculate  conception  — 
the  former  being  the  son  of  the  beautiful  virgin  Cronis 
Celestine,  and  “begotten  by  the  Father  of  all  Gods.” 

Both  Budha  and  Chrishna,  of  India,  are  reported  as  hav- 
ing been  immaculately  conceived.  The  mother  of  the  latter 
(God)  was  (as  the  Hindoo  Holy  Book  declares)  over- 
shadowed by  the  Supreme  God,  Brahma,  while  the  spirit- 
author  of  the  conception  (that  is,  the  Holy  Ghost)  was  Nara- 
an.  The  mother  of  Apollonius  of  Cappadocia,  who  was 
cotemporary  with  Jesus  Christ  (according  to  his  history  by 
Philostratus  — and  his  (Apollonius’)  disciple  Damis  testifies  to 
the  same  effect)  — gave  birth  to  this  God  and  rival  Savior  of 


MIRACULOUS  CONCEPTION  OF  THE  GODS . 45 


Jesus  Christ,  by  having  been  previously  “ overshadowed  ” by 
the  supreme  God  Proteus.  For  the  corporeal  existence  and 
earthly  career  of  Augustus  Caesar,  the  world  has  ostensibly  to 
acknowledge  itself  indebted  to  the  “overshadowing”  influence 
and  generating  power  of  Jove,  by  whose  divine  influence  he 
was  immaculously  conceived  in  the  temple  of  Apollo,  accord- 
ing to  the  statement  of  Nimrod,  his  biographer.  The  virgin 
mother  Shing-Mon  of  China  furnishes  another  case  of  immac- 
ulate conception.  Possessing  a sensibility  too  lofty  and  too 
refined  to  descend  to  the  ordinary  routine  of  the  world,  she 
gave  birth  to  the  God  Yu  from  previous  conception  by  a water 
lily.  This  case,  with  respect  to  the  degree  of  procreative  deli- 
cacy and  refinement  evinced,  may  be  classed  with  that  of  Juno 
of  Greece.  Here  it  may  be  noted  as  a curious  circumstance,  that 
several  of  the  virgin  mothers  of  Gods  and  great  men  are 
specifically  represented  as  going  ten  months  between  concep- 
tion and  delivery.  The  mothers  of  Hercules,  Sakia,  Guatama, 
Scipio,  Arion,  Solomon,  and  Jesus  Christ  may  be  mentioned  as 
samples  of  this  character.  This  tradition  probably  grew  out 
of  the  established  belief  in  the  ten  sacred  cycles  which  con- 
stitute the  great  prospective  and  portentous  millennial  epoch  as 
described  in  Chapter  XXX.  Arion,  mentioned  above,  is  repre- 
sented as  being  both  miraculously  and  immaculously  conceived 
by  the  Gods  in  the  citadel  of  Byrsa. 

In  view  of  the  foregoing  facts  drawn  from  accredited  histo- 
ries, the  reader  will  readily  concede  that  the  tradition  of  the 
miraculous  conception  of  Gods  (sons  of  God),  Saviors,  and 
Messiahs  was  very  prevalent  in  the  world  at  a very  ancient 
period  of  time,  and  long  before  the  mother  of  Jesus  was  “ over- 
shadowed by  the  Most  High.”  Indeed,  says  Mr.  Higgins,  “ the 
belief  in  the  immaculate  conception  extended  to  every  nation 
in  the  world.”  And  Grote,  referring  to  Greece,  makes  the 
remarkable  declaration,  that  “ the  furtive  pregnancy  of  young 
women,  often  by  a God,  is  one  of  the  most  frequently  recurring 
incidents  in  the  legendary  narratives  of  the  country.”  And 
we  find  that  both  the  prevalency  and  great  antiquity  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  immaculate  conception  among  the  heathen  is 
conceded  by  Christian  writers  themselves  (of  former  ages)  in 


46 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


their  attempts  to  find  arguments  and  commendatory  prece* 
dents  to  justify  tneir  own  belief  in  the  doctrine.  For  proof  of 
this,  we  need  only  cite  the  Christian  writer  Mr.  Bailey,  who 
remarks,  “ What  I have  said  of  St.  Augustine,  is  applicable 
also  to  Origen  and  Lactanius,  who  have  endeavored  to  persuade 
us  of  the  immaculate  virginity  of  the  mother  of  Jesus  Christ 
by  the  example  of  similar  events  stored  by  the  heathen.”  Here 
we  have  several  Christian  authorities  cited  by  another  writer, 
also  a Christian,  for  placing,  the  doctrine  of  the  immaculate 
conception  among  the  heathen  legends  in  ages  long  anterior 
to  Christ. 

With  respect  to  the  degree  of  credence  to  be  attached  to 
the  story  of  the  immaculate  conception  of  the  mother  of  Jesus, 
it  need  only  be  observed  that  there  was  no  other  person  con- 
cerned in  the  transaction  but  herself,  who  could  possess  positive, 
absolute  knowledge  of  his  parentage.  And  she,  let  it  be  noted, 
settles  the  matter  forever,  by  virtually  affirming  that  Joseph 
was  his  father  in  the  declaration  addressed  to  Jesus  when  she 
found  him  in  the  temple  — c 1 and  thy  father  have  sought  thee 
sorrowing.”  (Luke  ii.  48.)  No  one  will  dispute  that  the  fa- 
ther here  spoken  of  was  Joseph,  which  amounts  to  a positive 
declaration  by  the  mother,  that  Joseph  was  Jesus’  father. 

Immaculate  Conception  and  Miraculous  Birth  of  the 
Christian  Savior. 

The  following  considerations  exhibit  some  of  the  numerous 
absurdities  involved  in  the  story  of  the  miraculous  birth  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

1.  The  evangelical  narratives  show  that  Christ  himself  did 
not  claim  to  have  a miraculous  birth.  He  did  not  once  allude 
to  such  an  event ; while  if,  as  Christians  claim,  it  is  the  princi- 
pal evidence  of  his  deityship,  he  certainly  would  have  done  so. 

2.  His  paternal  genealogy,  as  made  out  by  Matthew  and 
Luke,  completely  disproves  the  story  of  his  miraculous  concep- 
tion by  a virgin.  For  they  both  trace  his  lineage  through 
Joseph,  which  they  could  not  do  only  on  the  assumption  that 
Joseph  was  his  father.  This,  of  course,  disproves  his  sireship 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  ergo,  his  miraculous  conception.  It  is 


MIRACULOUS  CONCEPTION  OF  THE  GODS.  47 


the  lineage  and  parentage  of  Joseph,  and  not  Mary,  that  is  given 
in  tracing  back  his  ancestry  to  the  royal  household  — a fact 
which  completely  overthrows  the  story  of  his  miraculous  birth. 

3.  And  the  fact  that  his  own  disciple  (Philip)  declared  him 
to  be  the  son  of  Joseph , and  that  several  texts  show  that  it 
was  the  current  impression , is  still  further  confirmation  of  the 
conclusion. 

4.  We  find  the  story  of  the  immaculate  conception  resting 
entirely  upon  the  slender  foundation  comprised  in  the  legends 
of  an  angel  and  a dream.  We  are  told  that  Mary  got  it  by  an 
angel,  and  Joseph  by  a dream.  And  through  these  sources  we 
have  the  whole  groundwork  and  foundation  of  the  story  of  the 
divinity  of  Jesus  Christ. 

5.  It  should  be  noticed  that  we  have  neither  Joseph’s  nor 
Mary’s  report  of  these  things,  but  only  Matthew  and  Luke’s 
version  of  the  affair.  And  we  are  not  informed  that  either  of 
them  ever  saw  or  conversed  with  Joseph  or  Mary  on  the  sub- 
ject. It  is  probable  they  got  it  from  Dame  Rumor  with  her 
thousand  tongues. 

6.  If  Christ  were  a miraculously  born  God,  is  it  possible  his 
mother  would  have  reproved  him  for  misconduct  when  she 
found  him  in  the  temple,  as  she  must  have  known  his  char- 
acter ? 

7.  If  Mary  was  miraculously  conceived,  why  was  the  im- 
portant secret  kept  so  long  from  Joseph  ? Why  did  she  keep 
the  “ wTool  drawn  over  his  eyes  ” till  an  angel  had  to  be  sent 
from  heaven  to  let  him  into  the  secret. 

8.  If  she  were  a virtuously-minded  woman,  why  did  she  thus 
attempt  to  deceive  him  ? 

9.  Why  did  not  God  inform  Joseph  by  “inspiration,”  instead 
of  employing  the  roundabout  way  of  sending  an  angel  to  do  it? 

10.  We  are  told  that  “Mary  was  found  with  child  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.”  But  as  we  are  not  informed  who  found  it  out, 
or  who  made  the  discovery,  or  how  it  was  madp,  is  it  not  thus 
left  in  a very  suspicious  aspect  ? 

11.  As  the  whole  affair  seems  to  have  been  based  on  dreams, 
and  was  carried  on  through  dreams,  and  has  no  better  foun- 
dation than  dreams,  why  should  we  consider  it  entitled  to  any 


48 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


better  credit  than  similar  stories  found  in  works  on  heathen 
mythology  ? 

12.  And  would  it  not  prove  that  Christianity  is  rather  a 
dreamy  religion  ? 

13.  Should  not  the  astounding  and  incredible  report  of  the 
birth  of  a God  be  based  on  a better  foundation  than  that  of 
dreams,  and  angels,  and  the  legends  of  oriental  myth61ogy,  to 
entitle  it  to  the  belief  of  an  intelligent  and  scientific  age  ? 

14.  Or  can  any  man  of  science  entertain  for  a moment  the 
superlative  solecism  of  an  Infinite  God  by  any  special  act 
“ overshadowing  ” a finite  human  female,  especially  as  modern 
science  teaches  us  that  God  is  both  male  and  female,  and  as 
much  one  as  the  other? 

15.  As  history  teaches  us  the  ancient  orientalists  believed 
that  sexual  commerce  is  sinful,  and  contaminating  to  the  child 
thus  begotten  and  born,  and  hence  had  their  incarnate  Gods 
sent  into  the  world  through  human  virgins,  can  any  unbiased 
mind  resist  the  conviction  that  this  is  the  source  of  the  origin 
of  the  story  of  Christ’s  immaculate  conception  ? 

16.  And  finally,  if  it  were  necessary  for  Christ  to  come  into 
the  world  in  such  a way  as  to  avoid  the  impure  channel  of 
human  conception  and  parturition,  why  did  he  not  descend 
directly  from  heaven  in  person  ? Why  could  he  not  “ descend 
on  the  clouds  ” by  his  first  advent,  as  the  bible  says  he  will  do 
when  he  makes  his  second  advent  ? 

17.  Would  not  this  course  have  furnished  a hundred  fold 
more  convincing  proof  and  demonstration  of  his  divine  power 
and  divine  attributes  than  the  ridiculous  story  and  the  inscru- 
table mystery  of  the  divine  conception,  which  is  not  susceptible 
of  either  investigation  or  proof. 


VIRGIN  MOTHERS  AND  VIRGIN-BORN  GODS . 49 


CHAPTER  V. 

VIRGIN  MOTHERS  AND  VIRGIN-BORN  GODS. 

The  report  in  authentic  history  of  a case  of  a virtuous 
woman  giving  birth  to  a child  with  the  usual  form,  and  pos- 
sessing the  usual  characteristics  of  a human  being,  and  who 
should  testify  she  had  no  male  partner  in  the  conception,  might, 
in  an  age  of  miracles  and  ignorance  of  natural  law,  be  believed 
with  implicit  credulity.  But  in  an  age  of  intelligence,  when 
the  keys  of  science  have  unlocked  the  sacred  shrines  and  hal- 
lowed vaults  of  sacerdotal  mysteries,  and  modern  researches  of 
history  have  laid  bare  the  fact  that  most  ancient  religious 
countries  abound  in  reports  of  this  character,  a profound  and 
general  skepticism  must  be  the  result,  and  a total  rejection  of 
their  truth  by  all  men  of  science  and  historic  intelligence. 
Many  are  the  cases  noted  in  history  of  young  maidens  claim- 
ing a paternity  for  their  male  offspring  by  a God.  In  Greece 
it  became  so  common  that  the  reigning  king  issued  an  edict, 
decreeing  the  death  of  all  young  women  who  should  offer  such 
an  insult  to  deity  as  to  lay  to  him  the  charge  of  begetting  their 
children.  The  virgin  Alcmene  fnrnishes  a case  of  a young 
woman  claiming  God  as  the  father  of  her  offspring,  when  she 
brought  forth  the  divine  Redeemer  Alcides,  1280  years  B.  O. 
And  Ceres,  the  virgin  mother  of  Osiris,  claimed  that  he  was 
begotten  by  “ the  father  of  all  Gods.”  Mr.  Kenrick  tells  us  the 
likeness  of  this  virgin  mother,  with  the  divine  child  in  her  arms, 
may  now  be  seen  represented  in  sculpture  on  some  of  the  an- 
cient, ruined  temples  of  that  ruined  empire.  And  Mr.  Higgins 
makes  the  broad  declaration  that  u the  worship  of  this  virgin 
mother,  with  her  God-begotten  child,  prevailed  everywhere.” 
Tliis  author  also  quotes  Mr.  Riquord  as  saying,  this  son  of  God 
4 


60 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


“was  exhibited  in  effigy,  lying  in  a manger,  in  the  same  man- 
ner the  infant  Jesus  was  afterward  laid  in  the  cave  at  Bethle- 
hem.” Mr.  Higgins  further  testifies  that  the  worship  of  this 
virgin  God-mother  (that  is,  the  God  and  the  mother)  is  of  very 
ancient  date  and  universal  prevalence  in  all  the  Eastern  coun- 
tries, as  is  proved  by  sculptured  figures  bearing  the  marks  of 
great  age.  In  corroboration  of  this  statement  we  might  cite 
many  cases,  if  our  space  would  permit,  from  the  religious  rec- 
ords of  India,  Egypt,  Persia,  Greece,  Rome,  Mexico,  Thibet,  &c* 
Maia,  mother  of  Sakia  and  Yasoda  of  Chrishna,  Celestine, 
mother  of  the  crucified  Zulis;  Chimalman,  mother  of  Quexal- 
cote ; Semele,  mother  of  the  Egyptian  Bacchus,  and  Minerva, 
mother  of  the  Grecian  Bacchus  ; Prudence,  mother  of  Hercules ; 
Alcmene,  mother  of  Alcides  ; Shing-Mon,  mother  of  Yu,  and 
Mayence,  mother  of  Hesus,  were  all  as  confidently  believed  to 
De  pure,  holy,  and  chaste  virgins,  while  giving  birth  to  these 
Gods,  sons  of  God,  Saviors  and  sin-atoning  Mediators,  as  was 
Mary,  mother  of  Jesus,  and  long  before  her  time. 

Mr.  Higgins  remarks  that  the  mother  was  still  held  to  be  a 
virgin,  even  after  she  had  given  birth  to  other  children  besides 
the  deity-begotten  bantling,  which  furnishes  another  striking 
parallel  to  the  history  of  Mary,  as  she  was  still  called  a virgin 
after  she  had  given  birth  to  Jesus  and  his  brothers  James  and 
John.  And  it  is  an  incident  worth  noticing  here,  that,  in  the 
case  of  Mayence,  virgin  mother  of  the  God-sired  Hesus  of  the 
Druids,  the  ancient  traditions  of  the  country,  more  than  two 
thousand  years  old,  represent  her  body  as  being  enveloped  in 
light,  and  a crown  of  twelve  stars  upon  her  head,  correspond- 
ing exactly  to  the  apocalyptic  figure  described  by  the  mysta- 
gogue  St.  John,  in  the  twelfth  chapter  of  his  Revelation.  She 
is  also  represented  with  her  foot  on  the  head  of  a serpent, 
according  to  Davie’s  “Universal  Etymology.”  (Yide  the  case 
of  the  seed  of  the  woman  bruising  the  serpent’s  head,  Gen.  iii, 
15.)  Auguste  Nichols  tells  us,  in  his  “Philosophical  Essays  on 
Christianity,”  that  Io  is  called,  in  Eschylus,  “ the  Chaste  Vir- 
gin,” and  her  son  “ the  Son  of  God.”  (For  other  similar  cases, 
see  Guigne’s  History  of  the  Huns.)  Gonzales  informs  us  he 
found  on  an  ancient  temple  in  India  the  Latin  inscription  Par * 


VIRGIN  MOTHERS  AND  VIRGIN-BORN  GODS. 


51 


turce  virginis , “ the  virgin  about  to  bring  forth.”  And  similar 
inscriptions  have  been  found  on  pagan  temples  ir  the  country 
of  the  ancient  Gauls.  (For  proof,  see  Riquord’s  Theology  of 
the  Ancient  Gauls,  Chap.  X.)  “ He  who  hath  ears  to  hear,  let 

him  hear,”  and  treasure  up  these  facts.  According  to  Chinese 
history  there  were  two  beings,  — Tien  nnd  Chang-ti,  — wor- 
shiped in  that  country  as  Gods  more  tl  an  twenty-five  hun- 
dred years  ago,  born  of  virgins  “ who  l new  no  man.”  The 
mother  of  the  mighty  and  almighty  God  1 lercules,  we  are  told, 
“ knew  only  Jove.” 

If  history  and  tradition,  then,  are  to  be  credited,  God  had 
many  “ well-beloved  sons,”  born  of  pious  and  holy  virgins,  be- 
sides Jesus  Christ.  And  some  of  them  are  represented  as  being 
his  “ only  begotten,”  and  others  his  “ first  begotten,”  sons.  And 
all  these  cases  appear  to  be  equally  as  well  authenticated  as  the 
story  of  Jesus  Christ.  All  stand  upon  a level,  the  same  kind  and 
the  same  amount  of  evidence  being  offered  in  each  case.  Here 
we  will  note  it  as  a curious  circumstance,  that  several  of  the 
above-named  Saviors  are  represented  as  being  black,  Jesus 
Christ  included  with  this  number.  There  is  as  much  evidence 
that  the  Christian  Savior  was  a black  man,  or  at  least  a dark 
man,  as  there  is  of  his  being  the  son  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  or 
that  he  once  lived  and  moved  upon  the  earth.  And  that  evi- 
dence is  the  testimony  of  his  disciples,  who  had  nearly  as  good 
an  opportunity  of  knowing  what  his  complexion  was  as  the 
evangelists,  who  omit  to  say  anything  about  it.  In  the  pic- 
tures and  portraits  of  Christ  by  the  early  Christians,  he  is  uni- 
formly represented  as  being  black.  And  to  make  this  the  more 
certain,  the  red  tinge  is  given  to  the  lips;  and  the  only  text  in 
the  Christian  bible  quoted  by  orthodox  Christians,  as  describ- 
ing his  complexion,  represents  it  as  being  black.  Solomon’s 
declaration,  “I  am  black,  but  comely,  O ye  daughters  of  Jeru- 
salem ” (Sol.  i.  5),  is  often  cited  as  referring  to  Christ.  Accord- 
ing to  the  bible  itself,  then,  Jesus  Christ  was  a black  man.  Let 
us  suppose  that,  at  some  future  time,  he  makes  his  second 
advent  to  the  earth,  as  some  Christians  anticipate  he  will  do, 
and  that  he  comes  in  the  character  of  a sable  Messiah,  how 
would  he  be  received  by  our  negro-hating  Christians,  of  sensi- 


««&£S/TY  of  ILLINOIS 
"•  library 


52 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


tive  olfactory  nerves?  Would  they  worship  a negro  God? 
Let  us  imagine  he  enters  one  of  our  fashionable  churches,  with 
his  u rough  and  ready,”  linsey-woolsey,  seamless  garment  on, 
made  of  wild  sea-grass,  thus  presenting  a very  forbidding  ap- 
pearance, and  what  would  be  the  result?  Would  the  sexton 
show  him  to  a seat?  Would  he  not  rather  point  to  the  door, 
and  exclaim,  “ Get  out  of  here  ; no  place  here  for  niggers  ” ? 
What  a ludicrous  series  of  ideas  is  thus  suggested  by  the 
thought  that  Jesus  Christ  was  a “ darky.” 

And  the  tradition  of  divine  Saviors  being  born  of  undefiled 
and  undeflowered  virgins  has  an  astronomical  chapter  we  must 
not  omit  to  notice.  The  virgin,  with  her  God-begotten  child, 
was  pictured  imaginarily  in  the  heavens  from  time  immemorial. 
They  are  represented  on  the  Hindoo  zodiac,  at  least  three  thou- 
sand years  old,  and  on  the  ancient  Egyptian  planispheres.  And 
if  you  will  examine  “ Burritt’s  Geography  of  the  Heavens,”  you 
will  find  the  infant  God-son  (the  sun)  is  represented  as  being 
born  into  a new  year  on  the  25th  of  December  (the  very  date 
assigned  for  Christ’s  birth),  and  may  be  seen  rising  over  the 
eastern  horizon,  out  of  Mary,  Maria,  or  Mare  (the  Latin  for 
sea ),  with  the  infant  God  in  her  arms,  being  heralded  and  pre- 
ceded by  a bright  star,  which  rises  immediately  preceding  the 
virgin  and  her  child,  thus  suggesting  the  text,  “ We  have  seen 
his  star  in  the  east,  and  have  come  to  worship  him.”  (Matt.  ii. 
8.)  Such  facts  led  the  learned  Alphonso  to  exclaim,  “ The  adven- 
tures of  Jesus  Christ  are  all  depicted  among  the  stars.”  And 
such  facts  fasten  the  conviction  on  our  mind  that  the  stories  of 
Gods  cohabiting  with  young  maids  or  virgins,  and  begetting 
other  Gods,  is  of  astrological  origin,  — the  story  of  Jesus 
Christ  included.  A critical  research  ^hows  that  astronomy 
and  religion  were  interblended,  interwoven,  and  confounded 
together  at  a very  early  period  of  time,  so  indissolubly,  that  it 
now  becomes  impossible  to  separate  them. 


THE  SAVIORS'  BIRTH  ANNOUNCED  BY  STARS . 58 


CHAPTER  VI. 

STARS  POINT  OUT  THE  TIME  AND  THE  SAVIORS’ 
BIRTH-PLACE. 

A profusion  of  evidence  is  furnished,  at  every  step  along  the 
devious  pathway  of  sacred  history,  tending  to  show  that  all  the 
systems  of  worship  which  have  existed  in  the  past  have  had  a 
dip  in  “the  halo  of  the  heavenly  orbs,”  and  hence  shine  with  a 
light  derived  from  that  source.  We  find  the  stars  acting  di- 
rectly a conspicuous  part  at  the  births  of  several  of  the  Saviors, 
besides  figuring  in  some  cases  by  marking  important  events  in 
their  subsequent  history.  Mr.  Higgins  remarks  that  “ among  the 
ancients  there  seems  to  have  been  a very  general  idea  that  the 
arrival  of  Gods  and  great  personages,  who  were  expected  to 
come,  would  be  announced  by  a star.”  And  the  cases  of  Abra- 
ham, CaBsar,  Pythagoras,  Yu,  Chrishna,  and  Christ,  may  be 
cited  in  proof  of  this  declaration.  A star  figured  either  before 
or  at  the  birth  of  each,  according  to  their  respective  histories. 
And  it  is  a historical  fact  that  should  be  noted  here  that  the 
practice  of  calculating  nativities  by  the  stars  was  in  vogue  in 
the  era  and  country  of  Christ’s  birth,  and  had  been  for  a long 
period  previously  in  various  countries.  “We  have  seen  his 
star  in  the  east,  and  have  come  to  worship  him.”  (Matt.  ii.  1.) 
Now  mark,  here,  it  was  not  the  sta?\  nor  a star , but  uhis 
star;”  thus  disclosing  its  unmistakable  astrological  features. 
Mr.  Faber  (in  his  “ Origin  of  Idolatry,”  vol.  ii.  p.  77)  reports 
Zoroaster  (600  B.  C.)  as  prophetically  announcing  to  “the  wise 
men”  of  that  country,  that  a Savior  would  be  born,  “attended 
by  a star  at  noonday.”  For  a fuller  exposition  of  this  case  see 
Chapter  II. 

In  the  history  of  the  Hindoo  Savior,  Chrishna,  we  are  told 


64 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


that  “as  soon  as  Nared,  who,  having  heard  of  his  fame,  had 
examined  the  stars,  he  declared  him  to  be  from  God ; i.  e.,  the 
Son  of  God.  The  Roman  Calcidius  speaks  of  “ a wonderful 
star,  presaging  the  descent  of  a God  amongst  men.”  ( See  Mau- 
rice’s Indian  Skeptics  Refuted,”  p.  62.)  Quite  suggestive  of  the 
star  apprising  “ the  wise  men  ” of  Christ’s  descent  from  above. 
And  a star  is  said  to  have  foretokened  the  birth  of  the  Roman 
Julius  Caesar.  The  Chinese  God  Tu  was  not  only  heralded  by 
a star,  but  conceived  and  brought  to  mortal  birth  by  a star.  In 
Numbers  xxiv.  17,  it  is  declared,  “There  shall  come  a star  out 
of  Jacob,”  &c.  This  is  a text  often  quoted  by  Christian  writers 
as  having  a prophetic  reference  to  the  Christian  Messiah.  But 
the  same  text  declares  further,  “ It  shall  destroy  the  children 
of  Seth,”  a prediction  which  no  rational  interpretation  can  make 
apply  to  Jesus  Christ.  And  then  we  find  this  star  of  Jacob  or 
Judah  (the  same)  represented  on  astronomical  maps  as  a prom- 
inent star  in  the  constellation  Virgo  (the  Virgin),  fancifully 
termed  by  the  Hebrew  Ephraim.  It  was  known  in  the  Syrian, 
Arabian,  and  Persian  systems  of  astronomy  as  Messaeil  (sug 
gestive  of  Messiah),  and  was  considered  the  ruling  genius  of  the 
constellation.  The  “ star  of  Jacob,”  then,  was  simply  a figure 
borrowed  from  the  ancient  pagan  systems  of  astronomy,  in 
which  they  fancifully  represent  a virgin  rising  with  an  infant 
Messiah  (Messaeil)  in  her  arms.  Messaeil  is,  when  analyzed, 
Messaeh-el  (Messiah-God),  and  is  found  in  the  constellation 
Virgo,  which  commences  rising  at  midnight,  on  the  25th  of  De- 
cember, with  this  “star  in  the  east”  in  her  arms  — the  star 
which  piloted  “ the  wise  men.”  The  whole  thing,  then,  is  evi- 
dently an  astronomical  legend. 

Albert  the  Great,  in  his  “Book  on  the  Universe,”  tells  us, 
“ The  sign  of  the  celestial  virgin  rises  above  the  horizon,  at  the 
moment  we  find  fixed  for  the  birth  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.” 
To  which  we  will  add  the  declaration  of  Sir  William  Drum- 
mond, who,  in  his  “GEdipus  Judaicus*”  p.  27,  most  significantly 
remarks,  “ The  anointed  of  A7,  the  male  infant,  who  rises  in  the 
arms  of  Virgo,  was  called  Jesus  by  the  Hebrews,  . . . and  was 
hailed  as  the  anointed  king  or  Messiah  ” — still  further  proof  of 
the  astrological  origin  of  the  story.  Dr.  Hales,  in  his  “ Chn> 


THE  SAVIOR'S  BIRTH  ANNOUNCED  BT  STARS.  55 


nology,”  calls  Christ  cc  the  star  of  our  salvation,  the  true  Apollo, 
the  sun  of  righteousness,” — all  of  which  are  astronomical  terms. 
And  here  we  may  recur  to  the  fact  that  some  of  the  early  im 
habitants  of  the  earth  regarded  a star  as  a thing  of  life,  because 
it  appeared  to  move,  and  acted  as  though  controlled  by  a living 
spirit.  And  this  fetchic  idea  we  observe  lurking  amongst  the 
borrowed  orientalisms  of  the  Jewish  Old  Testament.  The  rep- 
resentation of  the  morning  stars  joining  in  a chorus  and  singing 
together  (see  Job  xxxviii.  9),  is  an  instance  of  this  kind  of 
fetchic  conception.  And  then  we  find  a much  stronger  and 
more  conclusive  case  in  the  New  Testament,  where  Matthew 
represents  a star  as  breaking  loose  from  its  orbit,  and  traveling 
some  millions  of  miles,  in  order  to  stand  over  the  young  child 
Jesus,  as  he  lay  amongst  the  oxen  and  asses  in  a stable.  (See 
Matt.  ii.  7.)  Wonderfully  accommodating  star  indeed  ! How 
did  its  inhabitants  feel  while  thus  traveling  with  the  velocity 
of  lightning?  This  achievement  would  not  only  require  life, 
but  an  active  intelligence,  on  the  part  of  the  star,  as  it  is  repre- 
sented as  being  an  act  of  the  planet  itself.  “ All  nations,”  says 
Mr.  Higgins,  “ once  believed  that  the  planetary  bodies  or  their 
inhabitants  controlled  the  affairs  of  men,  and  even  their  births.” 
Hence  the  cant  prases,  “ My  stars,”  “ He  is  ill-starred,”  &c.,  in 
use  then,  and  still  in  use  at  the  present  day.  The  good  or 
ill  luck  of  a person  was  attributed  to  the  good  or  evil  stars 
which  it  was  believed  ruled  at  the  hour  of  his  birth.  We  find 
a counterpart  to  the  story  of  Matthew’s  traveling  star  in  Vir- 
gil’s writings,  who  declares  (60  B.  C.)  that  a star  guided  ^Ene- 
as in  a journey  westward  from  Troy.  In  the  days  of  Pliny 
(see  his  ‘‘Natural  History,”  Book  II.),  the  people  of  Rome  fan- 
cied they  saw  a God  in  a star  or  comet  in  the  form  of  a man. 
The  Apocryphal  book  of  Seth  relates  that  a star  descended 
from  heaven  and  lighted  on  a mountain,  in  the  midst  of  which 
a divine  child  was  seen  bearing  a cross.  Christ  betrays  the 
same  ignorance  of  astronomy,  when  he  speaks  of  “ the  stars 
falling  from  heaven  to  the  earth.”  (See  Matt.  xxiv.  29.)  For 
if  there  could  be  any  falling  in  the  case,  the  falling  would  be  in 
the  other  direction,  and  the  earth  would  fall  to  the  stars,  as 
larger  bodies  always  attract  smaller  ones.  As  shown  above, 


66 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


the  stupendous  orbs  of  night  were  represented  by  Jew,  Pagan, 
and  Christian,  as  breaking  away  from  their  orbits,  and  running 
hither  and  thither,  like  a fly  on  a ceiling,  or  a ball  from  a sky- 
rocket, being  regarded  as  mere  jack-a-lanterns,  that  could 
appear  anywhere  at  any  time  creative  fancy  might  dictate  01 
require ; while  science  teaches  that  the  stars  are  stupendous 
orbs,  some  of  them  a thousand  times  larger  than  the  planet  on 
which  we  live,  and  that  they  could  not  depart  one  rod  from 
their  accustomed  orbits  without  breaking  up  the  whole  plane- 
tary system,  and  destroying  the  universe.  And  then  observe 
the  absurdity  in  Matthew’s  story,  which  teaches  that  the  wise 
men  followed  the  star  in  the  east,  when  they,  coming  from  the 
east,  were,  as  a matter  of  course,  traveling  westward,  which 
would  place  the  star  to  their  backs.  That  must  be  a sui  gene- 
ris pilot  or  guide  which  follows  after,  instead  of  going  before. 
Omitting  further  citations  from  history,  we  will  only  observe 
further,  that  the  ancient  Hindoos,  Egyptians,  Chaldeans,  Syr- 
ians, Mexicans,  &c.,  took  great  account  of  stars,  and  employed 
them  on  all  important  occasions,  especially  on  long  journeys 
and  at  the  births  of  Gods  and  great  personages  — a circum- 
stance which  aids  in  explaining  the  star-chapter  in  the  gospel 
history  of  Christ. 


VISIT  OF  ANGELS , SHEPHERDS , MAGI.  57 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ANGELS,  SHEPHERDS,  AND  MAGI  VISIT  THE 
INFANT  SAVIORS. 

In  an  age  when  Gods  and  men  were  on  the  most  familiar 
terms,  and  when  the  character  of  one  furnished  a transcript  for 
the  other,  and  when  each  consented  to  act  a reciprocal  part 
towards  elevating,  honoring,  and  glorifying  the  other,  the  birth 
of  a God  or  Messiah  was,  as  a matter  of  course,  regarded  as  an 
event  of  sufficient  importance  to  attract  the  attention  of  the 
great  ones  of  the  earth,  and  even  the  denizens  of  heaven  also. 
And  hence  we  find  it  related  in  the  history  of  several  of  the 
God-begotten  Saviors  of  antiquity,  that  as  soon  as  they  were 
born  into  the  world  they  were  visited  by  “ wise  men  from  a 
distance  ” (or  Magi,  as  they  were  called  by  the  Persians  and 
Brahmins).  And  in  some  cases  they  were  likewise  waited  upon 
and  adored  by  the  neighboring  shepherds;  and  even  celestial 
spirits  are  reported  in  some  instances  as  leaving  their  star-gilt 
homes  to  wing  their  way  to  the  humble  mansion,  the  rude 
tenement,  containing  a new-born  God,  that  they  might  honor 
and  adore  “ the  Savior  of  men,  the  Savior  of  the  world.” 

The  sacred  biographies  of  both  Confucius  and  Christ  furnish 
examples  of  the  angel  host  forsaking  their  golden  pavilions  in 
the  skies  to  pay  their  devoirs  to  a Deity-begotten  bantling,  sent 
down  by  the  “ Father  of  Mercies,”  to  save  a guilt-laden  world. 
And  in  both  cases  the  Magi  are  reported  as  assembling  to  pre- 
sent their  offerings  to  the  infant  God.  In  the  case  of  Confucius 
(born  598  B.  C.),  it  is  declared,  “Five  wise  men  from  a dis- 
tance came  to  the  house,  celestial  music  was  heard  in  the 
skies,  and  angels  attended  the  scene.”  (See  the  Five  Volumes.) 
Now  let  us  observe  how  strikingly  similar  to  this  ancient  legend, 
in  each  of  the  several  characteristics,  is  the  Christian  story 


68 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


Matthew  (ii.  1)  speaks  of  “wise  men  from  the  east,”  journey- 
ing to  Jerusalem  to  visit  the  infant  Christ,  soon  after  his 
birth,  amongst  the  mules  and  oxen  in  a stable,  though  he 
omits  to  state  the  number  of  itinerant  adorers  who  presented 
themselves  on  the  occasion.  The  Persian  story  is  more  specific, 
as  it  gives  the  number  of  Magi  who  visited  the  young  Savior 
of  that  country  as  five. 

Luke  (ii.  13)  speaks  of  “ a multitude  of  the  heavenly  host 
praising  God,”  in  gratulation  of  the  birth  of  the  Judean  Savior. 
Now,  when  we  bear  in  mind  that  one  method  of  praising  God, 
with  the  orientals,  was  by  music,  we  will  at  once  observe  that 
this  is  only  another  mode  of  proclaiming,  as  in  the  case  of 
Confucius,  that  “celestial  music  was  heard  in  the  skies.” 

And  “ angels  attended  the  scene  ” of  Confucius'  birth.  So, 
likewise,  Luke  (ii.  15)  relates  that  the  angels,  after  rejoicing 
with  the  shepherds  on  the  occasion  of  the  birth  of  Christ, 
“went  away  into  heaven.”  How  complete  the  parallel!  and, 
but  for  the  digression,  and  monopoly  of  space,  we  might  trace 
it  much  further,  and  show  that  Confucius,  like  Christ,  had 
twelve  chosen  disciples ; that  he  was  descended  from  a royal 
house  of  princes,  as  Christ  from  the  royal  house  of  David;  that 
he,  in  like  manner,  retired  for  a long  period  from  the  noise  and 
bustle  of  society  into  religious  contemplative  seclusion ; that 
he  inculcated  the  same  Golden  Rule  of  doing  to  others  as  we 
desire  them  to  act  toward  us,  and  other  moral  maxims  equal 
in  importance  to  anything  that  can  be  found  in  the  Christian 
Scriptures,  &c. 

But  to  the  line  of  history.  Other  Saviors  at  birth,  we  are 
told,  were  visited  by  both  angels  and  shepherds,  also  “ wise 
men,”  at  least  great  men.  Chrishna,  the  eighth  avatar  of  India 
(1200  B.  C.)  (so  it  is  related  by  the  “ inspired  penman  ” of 
their  pagan  theocracy)  was  visited  by  angels,  shepherds,  and 
prophets  (avatars).  “ Immediately  after  his  birth  he  was 
visited  by  a chorus  of  devatas  (angels),  and  surrounded  by 
shepherds,  all  of  whom  were  impressed  with  the  conviction  of 
his  future  greatness.”  We  are  informed  further  that  “gold, 
frankincense,  and  myrrh  ” were  presented  to  him  as  offerings. 

The  well-known  modern  traveler,  Mr.  Ditson,  who  visited 


VISIT  OF  ANGELS,  SHEPHERDS , AND  MAGI . 59 


India  but  a few  years  since,  uses  the  emphatic  declaration,  '4  In 
fact,  as  soon  as  Chrishna  was  born  he  was  saluted  by  a chorus  of 
devatas,  or  angels.”  In  the  evangelical  narrative  of  the  Chris- 
tian Savior  an  angel  is  reported  to  have  saluted  his  mother 
thus  : 44  Hail,  thou  that  art  highly  favored  ; the  Lord  is  with 
thee;  blessed  art  thou  among  women.”  (Luke  i.  28.)  And 
in  the  next  chapter  the  angel  is  reported  as  joining  with  44  the 
heavenly  host”  in  44  praising  God.”  A similar  report  is  found 
in  the  Hindoo  bible  (the  Ramayana),  appertaining  to  the 
mother  of  the  eighth  Savior,  of  whom  it  is  declared  44  Brah- 
ma and  Siva,  with  a host  of  attending  spirits,  came  to  her  and 
sang,  4 In  thy  delivery,  O favored  among  women,  all  nations 
shall  have  cause  to  exult.’  ” And  when  the  celestial  infant 
(Chrishna)  appeared  (it  is  related  in  a subsequent  chapter)^ 
44  a chorus  of  heavenly  spirits  saluted  him  with  hymns;  the 
whole  room  was  illuminated  by  his  light,  and  the  countenance 
of  his  father  and  mother  shone  with  brightness  and  glory  (by 
reflection),  their  understandings  were  opened  so  that  they 
knew  him  to  be  the  Preserver  of  the  world,  and  they  began  to 
worship  him.”  The  last  text  here  quoted  brings  to  mind  Luke 
xxiv.  45,  which  declares,  “Then  he  (Christ)  opened  their  (his 
parents)  understandings.” 

The  ninth  avatar  of  India  (Sakia)  furnishes  to  some  extent 
a similar  parallel.  According  to  the  account  of  an  exploration 
made  in  India,  and  published  in  the  New  York  Correspondent 
of  1828,  44  There  is  on  a silver  plate  in  a cave  in  India  an  in- 
scription stating  that  about  the  time  of  the  advent  of  Budha 
Sakia  (600  B.  C.),  a saint  in  the  woods  learned  by  inspiration 
that  another  avatar  (Messiah  or  Savior)  had  appeared  in  the 
house  of  Rajah  of  Lailas.  Learning  which,  he  flew  through  the 
air  to  the  place,  and  when  he  beheld  the  new-born  Savior,  he 
declared  him  to  be  the  great  avator  (Savior  or  prophet),  and 
that  he  was  destined  to  establish  a new  religion  ” — The  New 
Covenant  Religion. 

We  next  draw  on  the  history  of  Greece.  It  is  authentically 
related  of  Pythagoras  (600  B.  C.),  that  his  fame  having  reached 
Miletas  and  neighboring  cities,  men  renowned  for  wisdom 
(wise  men)  came  to  visit  him  (Progress  of  Religious  Ideas, 


60 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


vol.  i.).  In  the  Anacalypsis  we  are  told  that  “Magi  came  from 
the  East  to  offer  gifts  at  Socrates’  birth,  bringing  gold,  frank; n- 
cense,  and  myrrh,”  the  same  kind  of  offering  as  that  presented 
to  the  two  divine  infants,  Chrishna  and  Christ,  according  to 
their  respective  “inspired”  biographers.  (See  Matt.  ii.  4,  and 
the  Ramayana.) 

And  the  legend  of  Mithra,  of  Persia,  might  also  be  included 
in  our  category  of  comparison,  if  we  had  space  for  it.  All  the 
four  Saviors  last  named  (if  Socrates  may  be  called  such)  are 
reported  as  having  been  honored  and  enriched  with  aromatic 
offerings  at  their  respective  births.  And  we  have  the  state- 
ment from  Mr.  Higgins,  that  the  same  assortment  of  spices 
(with  the  gold)  constituted  the  materials  offered  as  gifts  to  the 
sun,  in  Persia  more  than  three  thousand  years  ago ; and  like- 
wise in  Arabia  near  the  same  era.  And  it  may  be  stated  here, 
that  an  ancient  historic  account  of  Zoroaster  of  Persia  (6000 
B.  C.,  according  to  Pliny  and  Aristotle),  speaks  of  his  having 
also  been  visited  by  Magi,  or  “Magia,”  at  the  period  of  his 
earthly  advent.  * 

And  it  is,  perhaps,  well  to  note  in  this  place,  that  “Magi” 
is  the  term  used  in  the  Apocryphal  Gospels  to  designate  the 
“ wise  men  ” who  visited  Christ  at  birth ; and  that  Magi,  Magic, 
and  Magician  are  but  variations  of  the  same  word,  at  least 
derivations  from  the  same  root,  all  suggesting  a wisdom  corre- 
lated to  the  Gods.  Osiris,  an  incarnate  deity  of  Egypt,  we 
may  cite  as  another  case  of  an  infantile  God  receiving  signal 
honors  and  eclat  at  birth,  as  he  was  visited  while  yet  in  the 
cradle  by  a host  of  admiring  adorers.  “People  flocked  from 
all  parts  of  the  world  to  behold  the  heaven-born  infant.”  Such 
a world- wide  fame  must  have  had  the  effect  to  attract,  with  the 
numerous  crowd  who  thronged  to  see  and  worship  him,  no 
small  number  of  “ wise  men.” 

At  this  stage  of  our  historical  exposition,  we  will  suggest  it 
as  rather  a singular  circumstance  that  the  divine  Father,  in  his 
infinite  wisdom,  should  have  chosen  to  reveal  the  intelligence 
of  the  birth  of  his  son  Jesus  Christ  to  a set  of  nomadic  heathen 
idolaters  hundreds  of  miles  distant  (though  known  as  “wise 
men  ” because  of  their  skill  in  astrology)  before  he  made  it 


VISIT  OF  ANGELS,  SHEPHERDS , AND  MAGI.  61 

known  to  his  own  “ chosen  people  ” (the  Jews),  who  had  ever 
regarded  themselves  as  the  recipients  of  his  special  favors. 
And  perhaps  it  is  still  more  singular  that  these  pagan  pedes- 
trians should  have  been  denominated  “ wise  men,”  while  men 
of  God’s  own  election,  according  to  the  Christian  bible,  were 
often  stigmatized  and  denounced  as  “fools,”  a “generation  of 
vipers,”  &c.  But  it  so  happens  that  “ human  reason  ” finds 
many  incongruities  in  “ Divine  Revelations.” 


62 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  OF  DECEMBER  THE  BIRTH- 
DAY OF  THE  GODS. 

Divested  of  all  explanation,  the  announcement  of  the  fact 
that  the  time  of  the  birth  of  many  of  the  incarnated  Gods  and 
Saviors  of  antiquity  was  fixed  at  the  same  period,  and  this  peri- 
od the  25th  of  December,  celebrated  all  over  Christendom  as 
the  birthday  of  Jesus  Christ,  would  sound  marvelously  strange, 
especially  when  it  is  noticed  that  this  period  formerly  dated  the 
birth  of  a new  year — the  birth  of  King  Sol.  And  when  we 
find  that  the  ancient  pagans  were  in  the  habit  of  celebrating 
this  venerated  25th  of  December  as  the  birthday  of  their  Gods 
in  the  same  manner  Christians  now  celebrate  it  as  the  birthday 
of  Christ,  we  are  driven  to  admit  that  something  more  than 
mere  fortuitous  accident  must  be  adduced  to  account  for  the 
coincidence.  According  to  Dr.  Lightfoot,  the  temple  of  Jeru- 
salem was  employed  in  celebrating  the  birthday  of  a pagan 
God  (Adonis)  on  the  very  night  Christians  assign  for  the  birth 
of  Christ.  And  Robert  Taylor  informs  us  that  nearly  all 
the  nations  of  the  East  were  once  in  the  habit  of  rising  at 
midnight  to  celebrate  the  birthday  of  their  Gods,  on  the  25th 
of  December.  And  to  this  statement  Mr.  Higgins  adds,  tlat, 
“ at  the  first  moment  after  midnight  of  the  24th  of  December, 
the  ancient  nations  celebrated  the  accouchement  of  the  queen 
of  heaven  and  celestial  virgin,  and  the  birth  of  the  God  Sol, 
the  infant  Savior,  and  the  God  of  Day.” 

Bacchus  of  Egypt,  Bacchus  of  Greece,  Adonis  of  Greece, 
Chrishna  of  India,  Chang-ti  of  China,  Chris  of  Chaldea,  Mithra 
of  Persia,  Sakia  of  India,  Jao  Wapaul  (a  crucified  Savior  of 
ancient  Britain),  were  all  born  on  the  25th  of  December,  ac 


THE  BIRTHDAY  OF  THE  GODS . 


63 


cording  to  their  respective  histories.  Chrishna  is  represented  to 
have  been  born  at  midnight  on  the  25th  of  the  month  Savarana, 
which  answers  to  our  December,  and  millions  of  his  disciples  cel- 
ebrated his  birthday  by  decorating  their  houses  with  garlands 
and  gilt  paper,  and  the  bestowment  of  presents  to  friends.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Barret  tells  us,  “ It  was  once  common  for  the  women 
in  Rome  to  perambulate  the  streets  on  the  25th  of  December, 
singing  in  a loud  voice,  “ Unto  us  a child  is  born  this  day.”  The 
25th  of  December,  then,  it  will  be  observed,  was  marked  as  the 
birthday  of  the  incarnated  Gods,  Saviors,  and  Sons  of  God,  of 
many  of  the  religious  systems  of  antiquity,  long  prior  to  the 
birth  of  Christ.  And  why  his  birth  was  fixed  at  that  date  is 
not  hard  to  account  for.  According  to  the  celebrated  Chris- 
tian writer  Mr.  Goodrich,  the  Christian  world  had  no  chronol- 
ogy and  recorded  no  dates  for  several  centuries  after  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Christian  era.  (See  History  of  all  Nations, 
p.  23.)  No  event  of  their  history  was  marked  by  dates  for 
nearly  four  hundred  years.  Hence  the  time  of  Christ’s  birth  is 
altogether  a matter  of  conjecture,  as  is  also  every  other  event  no- 
ticed in  the  Christian  bible.  This  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  the 
ablest  Christian  writers  and  chronologists  differ  to  the  extent 
of  thirty-five  hundred  years  in  fixing  the  time  of  every  event 
in  the  bible.  A Mr.  Kennedy  presents  us  with  three  hundred 
different  chronological  systems,  by  different  Christian  writers, 
all  founded  on  the  bible,  and  proving  that  the  date  of  its  vari- 
ous events  are  inextricably  involved  in  a labyrinth  of  doubt, 
darkness,  and  uncertainty. 

Relative  to  the  time  of  Christ’s  birth,  the  “ Encyclopedia  Bri- 
tannica”  says,  “Christians  count  one  hundred  and  thirty-three 
contrary  opinions  of  different  authors  concerning  the  year  the 
Messiah  appeared  on  earth  — many  of  them  celebrated  writers.” 
(Art.  Chron.)  Mark  the  declaration  — one  hundred  and  thirty- 
three  different  opinions  as  to  the  year  Christ  was  born  in  ; one 
hundred  and  thirty-three  different  years  fixed  on  by  different 
Christian  chronologists  as  the  time  of  the  birth  of  the  most 
extraordinary  and  most  noted  being,  as  Christians  would  have 
us  believe,  that  ever  appeared  on  earth.  Think  of  an  omnipo- 
tent God  descending  from  heaven,  performing  astounding  mir* 


64 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


acles,  and  presenting  other  proofs  of  being  a God,  and  yet  not  one 
of  the  three  hundred  writers  of  that  era  take  any  notice  of  him, 
or  make  any  note  of  his  birth  or  any  event  of  his  life.  This  cir- 
cumstance is  of  itself  sufficient  to  banish  and  dissipate  all  faith 
in  his  divinity.  It  is  evident,  from  the  facts  just  presented,  that 
all  systems  of  Christian  chronology  are  founded  on  mere  conjec- 
ture, and  hence  should  be  rejected  as  worthless.  What  event  of 
Christ’s  life,  then,  can  be  accepted  as  certain,  when  no  record 
was  made  of  it  till  the  time  was  forgotten,  and  none  for  at  least 
half  a century  after  the  dawn  of  the  Christian  era,  according  to 
Dr.  Lardner,  when  nearly  all  who  witnessed  it  must  have  been 
dead  ? We  think  the  most  reasonable  conclusion  in  the  case  is, 
that  Christ,  instead  of  performing  those  Munchausen  prodigies 
attributed  to  him,  — such  as  casting  out  devils,  raising  the 
dead,  controlling  the  elements  of  nature,  &c.,  — led  such  an  ordi- 
nary, obscure  life,  — excelling  only  in  healing  the  sick  and  other 
noble  deeds  of  charity  and  philanthropy,  — that  he  attracted 
but  little  notice  by  the  higher  classes,  or  by  anybody  but  those 
of  a similar  turn  of  mind,  till  he  was  deified  by  Constantine,  in 
the  year  325  A.  D.  Hence  the  time  of  his  birth  was  not  re- 
corded, and  was  forgotten.  Consequently,  the  25th  of  Decem- 
ber was  selected  as  his  birthday,  because  it  was  the  birthday 
of  other  Gods,  and  because  it  was  regarded  by  the  heathen, 
from  time  immemorial,  as  the  birthday  of  Sol,  the  glorious 
luminary  of  heaven,  it  being  the  period  he  is  born  again  into  a 
new  year,  and  “ commences  again  his  journey  and  his  life  ; ” and 
because,  also,  this  epoch  was,  as  Sharon  Turner  informs  us,  in 
his  “ History  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,”  the  commencement  of  a new 
year  up  to  the  tenth  century. 

These  events  signalized  the  25th  of  December,  and  made  it 
a period  of  sufficient  importance  to  lead  the  early  Christians 
to  suppose  it  must  have  been  the  birthday  of  their  Messiah. 
Mosheim,  however,  confesses  that  the  day  or  the  year  in 
which  it  happened  “has  not  been  fixed  with  certainty,  not- 
withstanding the  profound  researches  of  the  learned.”  So  that 
it  is* still  an  open  question  as  to  when  Christ  was  born.  What 
day  of  the  month,  what  year,  or  what  century  it  took  place  in, 
is  still  unknown.  This  circumstance  is,  as  before  suggested, 


THE  BIRTH  DAT  OF  THE  GODS. 


65 


sufficient  of  itself  to  utterly  prostrate  all  faith  in  the  divine 
claims  for  Jesus  Christ.  What  would  be  thought  of  a witness 
who  should  testify  in  court  to  the  truth  of  an  occurrence  of 
which  he  did  not  know  the  year,  or  even  the  century,  in  which 
it  took  place,  or  who  could  come  no  nearer  than  one  hundred 
and  thirty-three  years  in  fixing  or  guessing  at  the  time.  Would 
the  court  accept  such  testimony? 

5 


66 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS 


CHAPTER  IX. 

TITLES  OE  THE  SAVIORS. 

The  various  deific  titles  applied  to  Jesus  Christ  in  the  New 
Testament  are  regarded  by  some  Christian  writers  as  presump- 
tive evidence  of  his  divinity.  But  the  argument  proves  too 
much  for  the  case  ; as  we  find  the  proof  in  history  that  many 
other  beings,  whom  Christians  regard  as  men,  were  honored  and 
addressed  by  the  same  titles,  such  as  God,  Lord,  Savior,  Re- 
deemer, Mediator,  Messiah,  &c.  The  Hindoo  Chrishna,  more 
than  two  thousand  years  ago,  was  prayerfully  worshiped  as 
“ God,  the  Most  High.”  His  disciple  Amarca  once  addressed 
him  thus : “ Thou  art  the  Lord  of  all  things,  the  God  of  the 
universe,  the  emblem  of  mercy,  the  bestower  of  salvation.  Be 
propitious,  O Most  High  God,”  &c.  Here  he  is  addressed  both 
as  Lord  and  God.  He  is  also  styled  “ God  of  Gods.”  Adonis 
of  Greece  was  addressed  as  “ God  Supreme,”  and  Osiris  of 
Egypt  as  “the  Lord  of  Life.”  In  Phrygia,  it  was  “Lord 
Atys,”  as  Christians  say,  “Lord  Jesus  Christ.”  Narayan  of 
Bermuda  was  styled  the  “ Holy  Living  God.”  The  title  “ Son 
of  God  ” was  so  common  in  nearly  all  religious  countries  as  to 
excite  but  little  awe  or  attention.  St.  Basil  says,  “ Every  un- 
commonly good  man  was  called  4 the  Son  of  God.’  ” The  “ Asi- 
atic Researches  ” says,  “ The  Tamulese  adored  a divine  Son  of 
God,”  and  Thor  of  the  Scandinavians  was  denominated  “ the 
first-born  Son  of  God ; ” and  so  was  Chrishna  of  India,  and  other 
demigods. 

It  requires,  therefore,  a wide  stretch  of  faith  to  believe  that 
Jesus  Christ  was  in  any  peculiar  sense  “the  Son  of  God,” 
because  so  denominated,  or  “ the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,” 
when  so  many  others  are  reported  in  history  bearing  that  title 


TITLES  OF  THE  SAVIORS . 


67 


The  title  Savior  is  found  in  the  legends  of  every  religious 
country.  So  also  God,  Redeemer,  and  Mediator.  “ When  a 
Mogul  or  Thibetan  is  asked  who  was  Chrishna,”  says  the  Chris- 
tian missionary  Hue,  “ the  reply  is,  instantly,  ‘ the  Savior  of 
men.’”  Budha  was  known  as  “the  Savior,  Creator,  and  Wis- 
dom of  God,”  and  Mithra  as  both  Mediator  and  Savior,  also  as 
“ the  Redeemer,”  and  Chrishna  as  “ the  Divine  Redeemer,” 
also  “ the  Redeemer  of  the  World.”  The  terms  Mediator  and 
Intercessor  were  also  frequently  applied  to  him  by  his  disci- 
ples. And  both  he  and  Quexalcote  were  hailed  as  “ the  Mes- 
siah ” In  short,  most  ancient  religious  nations  were  honored 
with  or  expected  a Messiah. 

Was  Jesus  Christ  the  “ Lamb  of  God  ? ” (John  i.  9.)  So  was 
Chrishna  styled  “ the  Holy  Lamb.”  The  Mexicans,  preferring 
a full-grown  sheep,  had  their  “Ram  of  God.”  The  Celts  had 
their  “ Heifer  of  God,”  and  the  Egyptians  their  w Bull  of  God.” 
All  these  terms  are  ludicrous  emblems  of  Deity,  representing 
him  as  a quadruped,  as  the  title  “ Lamb  of  God  ” does  Jesus 
Christ,  a term  no  less  ludicrous  than  the  titles  of  the  pagan 
Gods  as  cited  above.  And  was  Christ  “ the  True  Light  ? ” (John 
i.  9.)  So  was  Chrishna  likewise  called  “ the  True  Light,”  also 
“the  Giver  of  Light,”  “the  Inward  Light,”  &c.  Osiris  was 
“ the  Redeemer  of  Light,”  and  Pythagoras  was  both  “ Light 
and  Truth.”  Apollonius  was  styled  “ the  True  Light  of  the 
world;”  while  Simon  Magus  was  called  “the  Light  of  all  men.” 
Several  nations  had  also  their  Christs,  though  in  many  cases 
the  word  is  differently  spelled.  Chrest,  the  Greek  mode  of 
spelling  Christ,  may  be  found  on  several  of  the  ancient  tomb- 
stones of  that  country.  The  Christian  writer  Elsley,  in  his 
“Annotations  of  the  Gospels”  (vol.  i.  p.  25),  spells  the  word 
Christ  in  this  manner,  Chrest . The  people  of  Loretto  had  a 
black  Savior,  called  Ch  :est,  or  Christ.  Lucian,  in  his  “ Philo- 
patris,”  admits  the  ancient  Gentiles  had  the  name  of  Christ, 
which  shows  it  was  a heathen  title.  The  Chaldeans  had  their 
Chris,  the  Hindoos  their  Chrishna,  the  Greeks  their  Chrest,  and 
the  Christians  theft  Christ,  all,  doubtless,  derived  from  the 
same  original  root. 

As  for  Jesus,  it  was  a common  name  among  the  Jews  long 


68 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


before  the  advent  of  Christ.  Josephus  refers  to  seven  or  eight 
persons  by  that  name,  as,  “Jesus,  brother  of  Onias,”  “Jesus, 
son  of  Phabet,”  &c.  Joshua  in  the  Greek  form,  Jesus, 
was  in  still  more  common  use. 

Again,  was  Jesus  Christ  “ the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  Begin- 
ning and  the  End  ?”  so,  likewise,  Chrishna  proclaimed,  “I  am 
the  Beginning,  the  Middle,  and  the  End.”  Osiris  and  Chrishna 
were  both  proclaimed  “ Judge  of  the  Dead,”  as  Jesus  was  “Judge 
of  quick  and  dead.”  Isaiah  represents  the  Father  as  proclaim- 
ing, “I  am  Jehovah;  besides  me  there  is  no  Savior.”  (Isa.  xliii. 
11.)  With  what  consistency,  then,  can  Christ  be  called  “ the 
Savior ,”  if  there  is  but  one  Savior , and  that  is  the  Father  ? 

And  other  divine  titles  besides  those  above  named  — in  fact, 
all  those  applied  to  Christ  — are  found  used  also  in  reference  to 
the  older  pagan  Gods,  and  hence  prove  nothing. 

Origin  of  the  Terms  Mediator,  Intercessor,  &c. 

Several  causes  contributed  to  originate  a belief  in  the  offices 
imaginably  assigned  to  divine  God-descended  Mediators,  Re- 
deemers, and  Intercessors. 

1.  In  the  first  place,  the  Great  Supreme  God  was  believed 
to  be  too  far  off  and  too  aristocratic  to  be  on  familiar  terms 
with  his  subjects,  or  at  all  times  accessible  to  their  prayers. 
Hence  was  gotten  up  a “ Mediator,”  or  middle  God,  to  stand 
midway  between  the  Great  Supreme  and  the  people,  and  trans- 
mit messages  from  one  to  the  other,  and  thus  serve  as  agent 
for  both  parties.  Confirmatory  of  this  statement  is  the  dec- 
laration of  Mamoides,  in  his  “Guide  to  the  Erring,”  that  “the 
ancient  Sabeans  conceived  the  principal  God,  on  account  of 
his  great  distance,  to  be  inaccessible ; and  hence,  in  imitation 
of  the  people  in  their  conduct  toward  their  king,  who  had 
to  address  him  through  a person  appointed  for  the  purpose, 
they  imaginably  employed  a middle  divinity,  who  was  called 
a Mediator,  to  present  their  claims  to  the  Supreme  God.” 
Here  the  whole  secret  is  out,  the  whole  thing  is  explained, 
and  we  now  understand  why  Christ  is  called  a Mediator,  In- 
tercessor, “ Advocate  with  the  Father,”  &c. 

2.  Again,  the  Supreme  God  was  supposed  to  be  frequently 


TITLES  OF  THE  SAVIORS. 


6<> 


angry  with  the  people,  and  threatening  to  punish  if  not  tc  de- 
stroy them.  “ I will  punish  the  multitude.”  (Jer.  xlvi.  25.)  “ I 
will  destroy  the  people.”  (Ex.  xxiii.  27.)  Hence  this  mi  Idle 
divinity,  this  second  person  of  the  trinity,  stepped  in  to  plead 
and  intercede  on  their  behalf,  being,  as  we  must  presume,  a bet- 
ter-natured  and  more  merciful  being  than  the  Father.  And 
thus  interceding,  he  received  the  titles  of  Intercessor  and  “ Ad- 
vocate with  the  Father.”  (1  John  ii.  1.) 

3.  The  principal  circumstance,  however,  which  led  to  the 
conception  of  a divine  Savior,  was  the  desire  to  find  some  way 
to  continue  in  sin  and  wrong-doing,  and  escape  its  natural  and 
legitimate  consequences ; in  other  words,  to  evade  the  penalty. 
Hence  it  came  to  be  believed  that  people  might  run  riot  in  sin, 
and  plunge  into  the  indulgence  of  their  passions  and  their  lusts^ 
till  the  hour  of  death  approached,  when  they  would  have  noth- 
ing to  do  but  to  ask  forgiveness,  and  cast  the  burden  of  their 
sins  and  sufferings  on  the  merits  of  “ a crucified  Savior  and 
Redeemer,”  who  “ suffered  once  for  all,  that  we  might  escape,” 
and  thus  dodge  the  penalty  for  sin.  It  was,  as  Mr.  Fleurbach 
expresses  it,  “ a realised  wish  to  be  free  from  the  laws  of  mo- 
rality, and  escape  the  natural  consequences  of  wrong-doing.” 


70 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  SAVIORS  0E  ROYAL  DESCENT,  BUT  HUMBLE 

BIRTH. 

We  have  the  singular  coincidence  presented  in  the  histories 
of  several  of  the  Saviors  of  their  lineal  descent  through  a line 
of  kings  or  princes,  and  yet  commencing  their  probationary  life 
under  the  most  humble  and  adverse  circumstances  — being 
born  in  stables,  caves,  and  other  inauspicious  situations. 

The  story  of  their  royal  blood  was  calculated  to  add  dignity 
to  their  characters,  while  their  humble  birth  in  the  midst  of 
poverty,  and  unmarked  by  ostentation,  would  evince  their  hu- 
mility, meekness,  condescension,  and  absence  of  pride,  and  thus 
proclaim  a lesson  of  humility  and  resignation  to  their  disciples 
and  followers.  Here  seems  to  be  plainly  indicated  the  motives 
for  assigning  them  such  a birth,  and  such  a character.  Christ’s 
lineal  descent,  it  will  be  remembered,  is  professedly  traced 
(though  in  a very  zigzag,  disjointed  manner)  from  the  royal 
house  of  David.  And  yet  his  royal  blood  did  not  save  him 
from  the  most  ignoble  and  ignominious  birth,  and  an  obscure 
exordium  of  his  earth  life.  A singular  story,  and  yet  a simi- 
lar story,  is  told  of  the  Indian  Savior  Chrishna,  who  was, 
according  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Allen  (India,  p.  379)  of  the  royal 
house  of  Kousa,  traced  back  through  many  generations.  Yet, 
in  order  to  teach  the  world  a lesson  of  true  humility,  and 
administer  a just  reprehension  to  pride,  he  submitted  to  be 
born  in  a cave,  amid  the  denizens  of  subterranean  abodes.  And 
here  let  it  be  noted,  the  best  and  most  orthodox  writers  concede 
that  while  Christ  is  said  to  have  been  born  in  a manger,  that 
manger  was  in  a cave.  Mr.  Fleetwood  (a  very  popular  Chris- 
tian writer)  testifies  in  his  matter  that  “ the  Greek  fathers 


SAVIORS  OF  ROTAL  DESCENT . 


71 


generally  agree  that  the  place  of  Christ’s  birth  was  a cave. 
(Life  of  Christ,  p.  568.)  Then  the  coincidence  in  this  respect 
between  Christ  and  Chrishna  may  be  set  down  as  complete. 
We  have  no  means  of  learning,  how  many  of  the  Saviors 
were  of  royal  blood,  as  the  genealogy  of  some  of  them  is  not 
given.  But  those  whose  lineal  descent  is  furnished  us  are 
almost  uniformly  traced  to  or  evinced  as  springing  from  royal 
parentage,  and  practical  humility,  so  far  as  it  can  be  taught 
by  an  unostentatious  birth,  is  a lesson  taught  by  nearly  all. 
Budha  Sakia  of  Hindostan  is  directly  traced  through  a royal 
pedigree.  Speaking  on  this  point,  one  writer  remarks,  44  Tra- 
dition affirms  that  his  mother  was  betrothed  to  a rajah, 
and  of  course  her  son  belonged  to  the  same  royal  caste  that 
Chrishna  did  during  his  existence  on  earth”  (Prog.  Rel. 
Ideas,  vol.  i.  84.)  46  The  Great  Prophet”  of  Arabia  (Ma- 

homet) not  only  commenced  his  earthly  career  in  a humble 
situation,  but  resembled  Christ  in  having  44  nowhere  to  lay  his 
head.”  It  is  said  of  the  Great  Prophet,  44  A cloak  spread  on 
the  ground  served  him  for  a bed,  and  a skin  filled  with  date 
leaves  was  his  pillow.”  The  genealogy  of  the  God  Yu  (of 
China)  is  traced  through  a line  of  princes  to  a very  remote 
origin,  while  his  whole  life  was  a lesson  of  practical  humility, 
and  proclaimed  at  every  step, 44  This  is  the  way ; walk  ye  in  it.” 


72 


THE  WORLD’S  SAVIORS. 


CHAPTER  XL 

CHRIST’S  GENEALOGY. 

In  order  to  exalt  the  dignity  and  character  of  the  Christian 
Messiah  still  higher  than  a mere  claim  for  a divine  origin  pater- 
nally would  have  the  effect  to  do,  two  of  his  assumed  to  be 
inspired  biographers  have  set  up  for  him  a claim  to  a royal  lin- 
eage through  the  maternal  line.  Hence  they  tell  us  that  he  de- 
scended from  and  through  a line  of  kings  embracing  the  house 
of  David.  Butin  presenting  the  names,  and  the  number  of 
generations,  in  their  attempts  to  make  out  this  royal  distinc- 
tion, this  kingly  exaltation  of  birth,  they  exhibit  a most  egre- 
gious bungle,  and  the  most  barefaced  tissue  of  discrepancies. 
For  they  not  only  differ  widely  with  each  other  in  this  matter, 
but  differ  with  the  Old  Testament  genealogy,  and  differ  with 
those  texts  which  give  the  maternal  ancestry  of  Jesus.  Indeed, 
though  varying  as  wide  as  the  poles  from  each  other,  they  both 
miss  Jesus  and  arrive  at  Joseph  in  tracing  down  the  generations 
from  Abraham  (unless  we  assume  they  intended  to  represent 
Joseph  as  being  his  father). 

Luke,  in  his  Gospel,  names  and  counts  off  forty-one  genera- 
tions from  David  to  Joseph,  though  he  had  previously  repre- 
sented it  as  being  forty-two;  but  Matthew  says  that  “from 
Abraham  to  David  are  fourteen  generations,”  but  according  to 
his  own  showing,  and  according  to  his  own  list  of  names,  there 
are  but  thirteen.  And  then  he  tells  us  there  are  but  fourteen 
generations  from  David  to  the  carrying  away  into  Babylon. 
But  according  to  the  Old  Testament  genealogy  (see  1 Chron. 
iii.)  there  were  eighteen.  And  then  the  names  comprised  in 


CHRIST'S  GENEALOGY . 


78 


the  two  genealogies  of  Matthew  and  Luke  are  so  widely  differ- 
ent from  that  found  in  Chronicles,  as  to  set  all  analogy  and 
agreement  at  defiance.  In  fact,  in  their  whole  list  of  names, 
from  David  down  to  Joseph,  they  only  come  together  twice. 
Their  names  are  all  different  but  two,  that  of  Salathiel  and 
Zorobabel,  which  names  alone  are  found  in  both  lists.  Mat- 
thew tells  us  that  the  son  of  David,  through  whom  Joseph  de- 
scended, was  Solomon,  but  Luke  says  it  was  Nathan.  The 
next  name  in  Matthew’s  list  is  that  of  Roboam,  but  the  cor- 
responding name  in  Luke’s  list  is  Mattatha.  Matthew’s  next 
name  is  Abia,  which  Luke  gives  as  Menan,  while  Chronicles 
differs  from  both,  and  gives  it  as  Abijah.  Matthew  says  Joram 
begat  Ozias,  but  Chronicles  virtually  declares  Joram  had  no 
such  son,  although  he  had  a great-great-grandson  Uzziah.  But 
Luke  says,  in  effect,  there  was  no  such  person  in  the  genea- 
logical tree,  or  family  line,  as  either  Joram,  Ozias,  or  Uzziah. 
Matthew  says  again,  “ Josias  begat  Jechonias  and  his  brethren, 
about  the  time  they  were  carried  away  to  Babylon.”  (Matt. 

i.  11.) 

But  Chronicles  declares  that  Jechonias  was  Jehoiakim’s 
son,  and  not  Josiah’s,  and  that  Josiah  had  no  such  son.  And, 
besides,  we  learn  from  2 Kings  xiii.  that  Josiah  was  killed 
eleven  years  before  the  exile  to  Babylon,  and  could  not  well 
beget  a son  after  he  had  been  defunct  a tenth  of  a century. 
Matthew,  after  naming  twenty-four  generations  as  filling  out 
the  line,  and  making  it  complete  between  David  and  Jacob, 
concludes  by  saying,  “ and  Jacob  begat  Joseph,  the  husband  of 
Mary.”  But  Luke,  antecedent  to  spinning  out  his  list  to  four- 
teen generations  more  than  Matthew,  i.  e.,  making  it  fourteen 
generations  longer,  declares  that  “Joseph  was  the  son  of  Heli.” 
So  that  Joseph  either  had  two  fathers,  Jacob  and  Heli,  or  Mat- 
thew or  Luke,  or  both,  were  most  egregiously  mistaken,  with 
all  their  “inspiration.” 

Again,  Luke  says  that  Salathiel  was  the  son  of  Neri;  but 
Chronicles  says  he  was  the  son  of  Jechonias.  And  after 
Chronicles  had  registered  Zorobabel  as  the  son  of  Penniah, 
Matthew  and  Luke,  assuming  to  become  “ wise  above  what  was 
written,”  both  declare  that  he  was  the  son  of  Salathiel.  They 


74 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


agree  here  in  contradicting  Chronicles,  which  is  the  onlj 
instance  but  one  of  their  agreement  in  the  whole  list  of  pro- 
genitors from  David  to  Joseph.  With  this  exception  they 
contradict  each  other  all  the  way  through,  and  in  many  instances 
that  of  Chronicles  too.  This  is  a strange  way  indeed  of  prov- 
ing Jesus  Christ  to  have  had  two  fathers!  to  be  both  the  son 
of  God  and  son  of  David ! And  it  is  still  stranger  that  they 
should  trace  his  genealogy  to  Joseph,  if  they  did  not  con- 
sider him  Joseph’s  son.  Otherwise,  the  genealogy  of  “ Sin- 
bad  the  Sailor,”  or  “ Harry  Haulaway,”  would  have  been  as 
apropos. 

Such  are  the  beautiful  harmony  and  agreement  in  the  words 
of  “ divine  inspiration  ” which  Christians  prate  so  much  about. 
And  all  this  appears  to  be  the  result  of  an  attempt  to  elevate 
the  man  Christ  Jesus  to  a level  with  the  demigods  of  antiquity, 
nearly  all  of  whom  claimed  to  be  of  royal  or  princely  descent. 
Such  continual  blundering,  guessing,  cross-firing,  and  clashing 
of  names  as  is  exhibited  in  the  foregoing  exposition,  reminds 
us  of  the  Hibernian’s  reply  when  asked  for  the  number  and 
names  of  his  brothers  : — 

“ Well,  sir,  I have  fourteen  brothers,  and  they  are  all  named 
Bill  but  Bob, his  name  is  Tom.” 

Matthew  and  Luke’s  attempt  to  exalt  and  dignify  the  char- 
acter of  Christ  by  making  out  for  him  a pure,  holy,  and  royal 
lineage,  we  find  upon  a critical  examination  not  only  proved  a 
very  signal  but  a very  singular  and  ludicrous  failure,  for  all  his 
female  ancestors  who  are  brought  to  notice  were  persons  of 
libidinous  or  licentious  tendencies,  according  to  their  own  bib- 
lical history.  “It  is  remarkable,”  says  Dr.  Alexander  Walker 
(a  Christian  writer,  in  his  work  on  Woman,  p.  330),  “that 
in  the  genealogy  of  Christ  only  four  women  are  named : 
Thamar,  who  seduced  the  father  of  her  late  husband,  and 
Rachel,  a common  prostitute,  and  Ruth,  who,  instead  of  marry- 
ing one  of  her  cousins,  went  to  bed  with  another  of  them, 
and  Bathsheba,  an  adulteress,  who  espoused  David,  the  mur- 
derer of  her  first  husband.”  What  a pedigree  for  an  incar- 
nate God  — a being  ostensibly  of  spotless  origin ! though  his 


CHRIST'S  GENEALOGT. 


75 


impure  aneestral  origin  does  not  detract  from  the  high  moral 
character  and  distinguished  moral  life  which  marks  the  his- 
tory of  “the  man  Christ  Jesus,”  many  incidents  of  whose 
life  show  him  to  have  been  what  is  now  known  as  a spirit- 
ual medium. 


r6 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  WORLD’S  SAVIORS  SAVED  FROM  DESTRUC- 
TION IN  INFANCY. 

Of  course  such  an  extraordinary  circumstance  as  the  birth 
of  a God  into  the  world  mast  be  marked  with  unusual  inci- 
dents and  great  eclat.  This  was  first  exhibited  by  angels,  shep- 
herds, prophets,  magi,  or  “wise  men,”  flocking  around  their 
cradles.  In  the  second  place  we  observe  an  unusual  display 
of  divine  power  and  providential  care  on  the  part  of  the  great 
Father  God,  who  was  still  left  in  heaven  to  save  the  young 
saviors  through  their  infancy.  It  is  certainly  a remarkable  cir- 
cumstance that  so  many  of  the  infant  Saviors  should  have  been 
threatened  with  the  most  imminent  danger  of  destruction,  and 
yet  in  every  case  miraculously  preserved,  and  thus  were  the 
Saviors  saved.  A jealousy  seems  to  have  existed  in  several 
instances  in  the  mind  of  the  tyrant  king  or  ruler  of  the  country 
that  the  young  Saviors  and  prospective  spiritual  rulers  (who 
were  mostly  of  royal  descent)  would  ultimately  acquire  such 
favor  with  the  people,  by  such  a display  of  superior  power  and 
greatness  of  mind  as  to  endanger  his  retaining  peaceable  pos- 
session of  the  secular  throne  ; to  express  it  in  brief,  he  feared 
the  young  God  would  prove  a rival  king,  and  hence  took 
measures  to  destroy  him. 

In  the  case  of  the  Christian  Savior  we  are  told  that  an  angel, 
or  “the  angel,”  warned  Joseph  (the  assumed  father)  to  take  the 
young  Savior  and  God,  and  flee  with  him  into  Egypt,  because 
“Herod  the  king  sought  to  destroy  the  young  child’s  life,” 
and  had,  in  order  to  effect  this  end,  decreed  the  destruction  of 
all  the  children  under  two  years  old.  And  Joseph  heeded  the 
divine  warning,  and  fled  as  directed.  An  angel  and  a dream, 


SAVIORS  SAVED  FROM  DESTRUCTION. 


77 


then,  it  will  be  observed,  were  the  instrumentalities  used  to 
save  the  young  Judean  Savior  from  massacre.  And  strange  as 
it  may  seem,  we  find  the  same  agencies  had  been  previously 
employed  to  effect  the  rescue  of  other  Saviors  likewise  and 
similarly  threatened. 

In  the  case  ofChrishna  of  India,  in  particular,  the  similitude 
is  very  striking  in  nearly  every  feature  of  the  whole  story. 

In  the  first  place,  there  is  the  angel  warning.  In  the  Chris- 
tian story  we  are  not  specifically  informed  how  the  tyrant 
Herod  first  became  apprised  of  the  birth  of  the  Judean  Savior. 
The  Hindoo  story  is  fuller,  and  indicates  that  the  angel  was 
not  only  sufficiently  thoughtful  to  warn  the  parents  to  flee 
from  a danger  which  threatened  to  dispossess  them  of  a divine 
child,  and  the  world  of  a Savior,  but  was  condescending  enough 
to  apprise  the  tyrant  ruler  (Cansa)  of  his  danger  likewise  — as 
we  are  told  he  heard  an  angel  voice  announcing  that  a rival 
ruler  was  born  in  his  kingdom. 

And  hence,  like  Herod,  he  set  about  concocting  measures  to 
destroy  him  without  a direct  attack.  Why  either  of  them 
should  have  taken  such  a circuitous  or  roundabout  way  of 
killing  an  infant,  when  the  life  of  the  strongest  man,  and  every 
man  in  their  kingdoms,  was  at  their  instant  disposal,  “ divine 
inspiration”  does  not  inform  us.  But  so  it  was.  And  we 
must  not  seek  to  “become  wise  above  what  is  written  ” in  their 
bibles.  Herod’s  decree  required  the  destruction  of  all  infants 
under  two  years  of  age  (see  Matt.  ii.  16)  — first  ordering,  how- 
ever, “ Go,  and  search  diligently  for  the  young  child.”  (Matt.  ii. 
8.)  Cansa’s  decree  ran  thus : “ Let  active  search  be  made  for 
whatever  young  children  there  may  be  upon  earth,  and  let  every 
boy  in  whom  there  may  be  found  signs  of  unusual  greatness 
be  slain  without  remorse.”  Now,  let  it  be  specially  noticed 
that  there  is  to  this  day  in  the  cave  temple  at  Elephanta,  in 
India,  the  sculptured  likeness  of  a king  represented  with  a drawn 
sword,  and  surrounded  with  slaughtered  infants — admitted  by 
all  writers  to  be  much  older  than  Christianity.  Mr.  Forbes,  in  his 
“ Oriental  Memories,”  vol.  iii.  p.  447,  says,  “ The  figures  of  the 
slaughtered  infants  in  the  cave  of  Elephanta  represent  them  as 
being  all  boys,  who  are  surrounded  by  groups  of  figures  of  men 


78 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


and  women  in  the  act,  apparently,  of  supplicating  for  those 
children.”  And  Mr.  Higgins  testifies  relative  to  the  case,  that 
Chrishna  was  carried  away  by  night,  and  concealed  in  a region 
remote  from  his  natal  place,  for  fear  of  a tyrant  whose  de- 
stroyer it  had  been  foretold  he  would  become,  who,  for  that 
reason,  had  ordered  all  the  male  children  born  at  that  time  to 
be  slain.  Sculptures  in  Elephanta  attest  the  story  where  the 
tyrant  is  represented  as  destroying  the  children.  The  date  of 
this  sculpture  is  of  the  most  remote  antiquity.  “ He  who  hath 
ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear,”  and  deduce  the  pregnant  inference. 
Joseph  and  Mary  fled  with  the  young  Judean  God  into  Egypt; 
Chrishna’s  parents  likewise  fled  with  the  young  Hindoo  Savior 
to  Gokul.  Now,  let  us  observe  for  a moment  the  chain  or 
category  of  resemblance. 

1.  There  was  an  angel  warning  in  each  case  relative  to  the 
impending  danger. 

2.  The  governor  or  ruler  was  hostile  in  each  case  to  the  mis- 
sion of  the  young  Savior. 

8.  A bloody  decree  was  issued  in  both  cases,  having  for  its 
object  the  destruction  of  these  infant  Messiahs. 

4.  The  flight  of  the  parents  takes  place  in  each  case. 

5.  And  it  may  be  remarked  further,  that  the  “ Gospel  of  the 
Infancy  of  Jesus,”  once  believed  by  the  Christian  world  to  be 
“inspired,”  and  which  for  hundreds  of  years  passed  current  as 
divine  authority,  relates  that  Christ  and  his  parents  sojourned 
for  a time  at  a place  called  Matarea,  or  Mathura,  as  Sir 
William  Jones  spell  it,  who  says  it  was  the  birthplace  of 
Chrishna. 

It  is  further  related  in  the  case  of  Chrishna,  that  as  he  and 
his  parents  approached  the  River  Jumna  in  their  flight,  the 
waters  “ parted  hither  and  thither,”  so  that  they  passed  over 
“ dry  shod,”  like  Moses  and  the  Israelites  in  crossing  the  Red 
Sea.  And  here  let  it  be  noted  that  the  representation  of  this 
flight,  which  is  said  to  have  occurred  at  midnight,  is  like 
that  of  the  massacre  perpetuated  and  attested  by  imperishable 
monuments  of  stone  bearing  evidence  of  being  now  several 
thousand  years  old. 

Sir  William  Jones  says, — 


SAVIORS  SAVED  FROM  DESTRUCTION . 


79 


“The  Indian  incarnate  God  Chrishna,  the  Hindoos  believe, 
had  a virgin  mother  of  the  royal  race,  who  was  sought  to  be 
destroyed  in  his  infancy  about  nine  hundred  years  before 
Christ.  It  appears  that  he  passed  his  life  in  working  miracles, 
and  preaching,  and  was  so  humble  as  to  wash  his  friends’  feet ; 
at  length  dying,  but  rising  from  the  dead,  he  ascended  into 
heaven  in  the  presence  of  a multitude.  The  Cingalese  relate 
nearly  the  same  things  of  their  “ Bud  ha.”  And  several  authors 
of  Egyptian  history  refer  to  a story  perpetuated  in  the  Egyptian 
legends  concerning  the  God  Osiris,  who  was  threatened  with 
destruction  by  the  tyrant  Amulius,  to  save  whom  his  parents 
fled  and  concealed  him  in  an  arm  of  the  River  Nile,  as  Christ 
was  concealed  in  the  same  country,  and,  for  aught  that  appears 
to  the  contrary,  in  the  same  locality.  The  mother  of  another 
and  older  Savior  of  Egypt  fled  by  a timely  warning  to  Epidamis 
before  the  birth  of  the  divine  child,  and  was  there  delivered  of 
“our  Lord  and  Savior”  Horus.  And  the  earthly  or  adopted 
father  of  the  Grecian  Savior,  and  God,  Alcides,  had  to  flee  with 
him  and  his  mother  to  Galem  for  protection  from  threatening 
danger.  In  the  ninth  and  tenth  volumes  of  the  “ Asiatic  Re- 
searches ” we  find  the  story  of  the  “only  begotten,”  or  “first 
begotten  son  of  God,”  Salvahana,  of  Cape  Comorin,  son  of  a 
virgin  mother  (as  were  all  the  other  Saviors  referred  to),  and 
a carpenter  by  the  name  of  Taishnea.  (It  will  be  remem- 
bered that  Joseph,  “foster-father  of  Jesus,”  was  a carpenter.) 
The  story  of  this  “ Son  of  God”  presents  several  features  very 
similar  to  that  relating  to  Jesus.  Sir  William  Jones,  Colonel 
Wilford,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Maurice,  all  confess  to  the  antiquity 
of  this  story,  as  originating  before  the  birth  of  Christ.  Speak- 
ing of  Zoroaster  of  Persia  (another  case),  600  B.  C.,  an  author 
remarks,  “ Tradition  reports  that  his  mother  had  alarming 
dreams  of  evil  spirits  seeking  to  destroy  the  child  to  whom  she 
was  about  to  give  birth.  But  a good  spirit  came  to  rescue  him, 
and  consoled  her  by  saying,  “ Fear  not ; God  Ormuzd  will  pro- 
tect the  infant,  who  has  sent  him  as  a prophet  to  the  people 
and  the  world  who  are  waiting  for  him.” 

China,  too,  presents  us  with  a case  of  the  threatened  destruc- 
tion of  a Savior  in  infancy,  evidently  recorded  more  than  two 


80 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


thousand  five  hundred  years  ago.  It  is  the  case  of  the  God 
Yu,  who  was  concealed  in  a manner  similar  to  that  of  Moses 
- — a commemoration  of  the  story  of  which  is  perpetuatd  by  an 
image  or  picture  of  a virgin  mother  with  a babe  upon  her  knee 
— sometimes  in  her  arms.  Now,  let  it  be  noted  that  these 
virgin-born  Gods,  who,  we  are  told,  came  “ to  save  the  world,” 
could  not  save  themselves,  but  had  to  be  protected  and  saved  by 
other  Gods. 

Without  pursuing  the  subject  further  in  detail,  we  may  men- 
tion, by  way  of  recapitulation,  that  Chrishna,  Alcides,  Zoroaster, 
Salvahana,  Yu,  to  which  list  we  may  add  Bacchus,  Romulus, 
Moses,  and  Cyrus,  according  to  their  reputed  history,  were 
threatened  with  death  and  destruction,  but  were  providentially 
and  miraculously  preserved.  The  case  of  Augustus  is  related 
by  Suetonius,  that  of  Romulus  by  Livy,  and  that  of  Cyrus 
by  Herodotus.  It  will  be  recollected  that  Pharaoh,  like  Herod, 
in  order  to  reach  the  infant  Moses,  ordered  the  massacre  of  all 
the  male  infants  (Herod  making  no  distinction  of  sex),  in  order 
that  he  might,  by  this  singular  and  circuitous  method,  reach  the 
object  of  his  jealousy  and  malignity  without  passing  a direct 
sentence  of  death  upon  him. 

The  whole  story  of  Herod’s  slaughter  edict,  with  the  history 
of  its  execution,  like  nearly  every  other  miraculous  incident 
related  in  “ The  Holy  Scriptures,”  which  detail  their  histories, 
are  traceable  in  the  skies.  Herod,  we  are  told,  literally  means 
hero  of  the  skin  — a term  applied  also  to  Hercules,  a personifi- 
cation of  the  sun — because  the  sun,  on  entering  the  constel- 
lation of  the  Zodiac  in  July,  was  supposed  or  assumed  to 
invest  himself  with  the  skin  of  the  lion,  and  this  became 
“the  hero  of  the  skin,”  or  a hero  with  a new  skin.  Now  this 
solar  Herod,  passing  through  the  astronomical  twins  and  young 
infants  of  May,  was  said  to  destroy  them,  though  the  word  de- 
stroy is  in  the  Greek  anairean,  which  any  person,  on  turning  to 
the  Greek  lexicon,  will  observe  means  also  to  take  away,  pass 
through,  or  withdraw  from,  so  that  Pharaoh  more  properly 
passed  through  the  infants  than  destroyed  them. 

The  text,  “ In  Rama  there  was  a voice  heard,”  “ Rachel  weep- 
ing for  her  children,”  &c.,  is  quoted  by  a writer  (Strauss)  as 


SAVIORS  SAVED  FROM  DESTRUCTION . 


81 


referring  to  the  children  slaughtered  by  Pharaoh.  Let  two 
things  be  noticed  here : 1.  Rama  is  the  Indian  and  Phenician 
name  for  the  zodiac.  2.  Rachel  had  but  two  children  to  weep 
for — Joseph  and  Benjamin — just  the  number  found  in  the 
fifth  sign,  or  May  sign,  of  the  zodiac.  And  Venus,  among  the 
ancient  Assyrians  and  Phenicians,  was  in  tears  when  the  sun, 
in  his  annual  cross  through  the  heavens,  passed  through  or 
over  the  astronomical  Twins  (Gemini),  doubtless  fearfully  appre- 
hending their  destruction. 

The  case  of  the  massacre  is  an  illustration,  and  example,  of 
the  manner  in  which  all  the  miraculous  stories  related  in  the 
Christian  Scriptures,  as  having  been  practically  exemplified  in 
the  life  of  Jesus  Christ,  are  traceable  to  older  sources,  frequently 
terminating  among  the  stars. 

Section  II.  — Incredibility  of  the  Story  of  the 
Massacre  of  the  Hebrew  Infants. 

1.  It  is  a cogent  and  potent  fact,  calculated  to  render  the 
story  of  the  murder  of  the  Hebrew  children  by  Herod  wholly 
incredible,  that  not  one  writer  of  that  age,  or  that  nation,  or 
any  other  nation,  makes  any  mention  of  the  circumstance. 

2.  Even  the  Rabbinical  writers  who  detail  his  wicked  life  so 
minutely,  and  who  bring  to  his  charge  so  many  flagitious  acts, 
fail  to  record  any  notice  of  this  horrible  and  atrocious  deed, 
which  must  have  been  published  far  and  wide,  and  known  to 
all  the  writers  of  that  age  and  country,  had  it  occurred. 

8.  And  still  more  logically  ruinous  to  the  credit  of  the  story 
is  the  omission  of  Josephus  to  throw  out  one  hint  that  such  a 
wholesale  slaughter  ever  took  place  in  Judea.  And  yet  he  not 
only  lived  in  that  country,  but  was  related  to  Herod’s  wife,  and 
regarded  him  as  his  most  implacable  enemy,  and  professes  to 
write  out  the  whole  history  of  his  wicked  life  in  the  most 
minute  detail,  devoting  thirty-seven  chapters  of  his  large  work 
to  this  subject,  and  apparently  enumerates  every  evil  act  of 
his  life.  And  yet  Josephus  says  not  a word  about  his  in- 
human and  infamous  butchery  of  the  babes  which  Matthew 
charges  him  with  (about  fourteen  thousand  in  number)  — a 
6 


82 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


bloody  deed,  unmatched  in  the  annals  of  tyranny.  Such  facts 
prove  the  story  not  only  incredible,  but  impossible.  Josephus 
could  not  and  would  not  have  omitted  to  notice  this  the  most 
notorious  and  nefarious  act  of  his  life,  had  it  occurred.  It  there- 
fore could  not  have  occurred.  And  it  is  almost  equally  incredi- 
ble that  Roman  historians,  who  furnish  us  with  a particular 
account  of  Herod’s  character,  should  pass  over  in  silence  such  a 
villainous  and  bloody  deed. 

4.  And  then  some  of  our  ablest  and  most  reliable  chronolo- 
gists  have  shown  that  Herod  was  not  living  at  the  time  this 
bloody  decree  should  have  been  issued  by  him ; that  he  died 
about  three  years  prior  to  that  period,  and  hence  could  have 
been  guilty  of  no  such  villainy,  and  high-handed  murder,  and 
cruel  infanticide. 

5.  And  even  if  living,  he  would  have  been  an  old  man  (not 
less  than  sixty-eight  according  to  Josephus).  Hence  he  could 
not  have  calculated  on  surviving  long  enough  for  the  son  of  a 
village  carpenter,  then  a babe,  to  oust  him  from  his  throne. 

6.  It  is  wholly  incredible,  also,  that  Herod  should  have 
adopted  such  a roundabout  method  of  destroying  the  object  of 
his  fear  and  envy  when  he  could  have  singled  him  out,  and  put 
him  to  death  at  once,  and  thus  avoid  the  felonious  act  of  break- 
ing the  hearts  of  thousands  of  parents,  and  his  most  loyal  sub- 
jects, too. 

7.  From  the  foregoing  considerations,  we  indorse  the  senti- 
ment of  the  Rev.  Edward  Evanson,  that  it  is  “ an  incredible, 
borrowed  fiction.” 


EARLY  PROOF  OF  DIVINITY. 


83 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  SAVIORS  EXHIBIT  EARLY  PROOFS  OF 
DIVINITY. 

Of  course  all  Gods  must  be  heroes  — physically  or  intel- 
lectually, or  both.  The  more  danger  they  encounter,  and  the 
earlier  they  manifest  a precocious  or  preternatural  smartness, 
the  more  like  Gods.  And  hence  we  find  several  of  the  Saviors 
in  very  early  childhood  displaying  great  physical  prowess  in 
meeting  and  conquering  danger,  while  others  exhibit  their  su- 
periority mentally  by  vanquishing  their  opponents  in  argument. 
Christ  first  began  to  exhibit  proof  of  his  divine  character  and 
greatness  by  meeting  and  silencing  the  doctors  in  the  temple 
when  only  about  twelve  years  of  age.  And  similar  proofs  of 
divinity  at  or  near  this  age  is  found  in  the  history  of  some  of 
the  pagan  Saviors.  Of  Christ  it  is  declared,  “ There  went  out 
a fame  of  him  through  all  the  region  round  about.”  (Luke 
iv.  14.)  And  of  the  Grecian  Esculapius  it  is  likewise  declared, 
“The  voice  of  fame  soon  published  the  birth  of  a miraculous 
child,”  and  “the  people  flocked  from  all  quarters  to  behold 
him.”  Of  Confucius  of  China  it  is  declared,  “His  extensive 
knowledge  and  great  wisdom  soon  made  him  known,  and 
kings  were  governed  by  his  counsels,  and  the  people  adored 
him  wherever  he  went  ” And  it  is  further  declared  of  this 
“Divine  Man”  that  he  seemed  to  arrive  at  reason  and  the  per- 
fect use  of  his  faculties  almost  from  infancy.  It  is  reported  of 
the  God  Chang-ti,  that  when  questioned  on  the  subject  of  gov- 
ernment and  the  duties  of  princes  and  rulers  while  yet  a child, 
his  answers  were  such  as  to  astonish  the  whole  empire  by  his 
knowledge  and  wisdom. 

It  is  related  of  a Grecian  God  that  he  demolished  the 


84 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


serpents  which  attempted  to  bite  or  destroy  him  while  in  hits, 
cradle.  “ The  proof  of  Osiris’s  divinity  was  a blaze  of  light 
shining  around  his  cradle  soon  after  he  was  born.  Relative  to 
Pythagoras  of  the  same  country,  we  have  it  upon  the  authority 
of  a Christian  writer,  that  he  exhibited  such  a remarkable  char- 
acter, even  in  youth,  as  to  attract  the  attention  of  all  who  saw 
and  heard  him  speak.”  And  the  author  further  testifies  of 
him  that  he  “ never  was  at  any  time  overcome  with  anger, 
laughter,  or  perturbation  of  mind  or  precipitation  of  conduct.” 
“ His  fame  having  reached  Miletus  and  neighboring  cities,  it  is 
said  by  another  writer,  the  people  flocked  to  see  and  hear  him, 
and  he  was  reverenced  by  multitudes.”  Luke  declares  of  Christ, 
that  the  people  “were  astonished  at  his  understanding  and 
answers.”  (Luke  ii.  47.)  And  the  “ Gospel  of  the  Infancy” 
tells  us  that  his  tutor  Zacheas  was  astonished  at  his  learning, 
which  reminds  us  of  the  statement  found  in  “ The  Divine 
Word”  of  the  Hindoos  (The  Mahabarat),  that  the  parents  of 
the  Savior  Chrishna,  in  making  arrangements  to  give  him  an 
education,  sent  him  to  a learned  Brahmin  as  tutor,  whom  he 
instantly  astonished  with  his  vast  learning,  and  under  whose 
tuition  he  mastered  the  whole  circle  of  sciences  in  a day  and  a 
night.  “Men,  seeing  the  wonders  performed  by  this  child,  told 
Nanda  (his  adopted  father)  that  this  could  not  possibly  be  his 
son.”  It  is  told  of  Budha  Sakia  of  India,  that  “ as  soon  as  he 
was  born,  a light  shone  around  his  cradle,  when  he  stood  up 
and  proclaimed  his  mission,  and  that  the  River  Ganges  during 
this  time  rose  in  a miraculous  manner,  which  was  stilled  by  his 
divine  power,  as  Christ  stilled  the  tempest  on  the  sea.  “He 
wras  born,”  says  the  New  American  Cyclopedia  (vol.  iv.  p.  61), 
“ amidst  great  miracles,  and  as  soon  as  born,  most  solemnly  pro- 
claims his  mission.”  Of  Narayan  “the  Holy,”  it  is  declared 
that  “mysterious  words  dropped  from  his  lips  on  various 
occasions,  giving  hints  of  his  divine  nature  and  the  purposes 
for  which  he  had  come  down  to  the  earth.”  (Prog.  Rel.  Ideas, 
vol.  i.  p.  128.)  The  divine  power  and  mission  of  Yu  of  China 
was  very  early  evinced  by  the  display  of  great  miracles.  And 
here  let  us  observe,  that  some  of  the  Old  Testament  or  Jewish 
heroes,  as  Moses,  Solomon,  and  Samuel,  are  reported  as  exhibit- 


EARLY  PROOF  OF  DIVINITT. 


85 


ing  great  superiority  of  mind  in  very  early  life  — thus  proving 
(it  was  thought)  that  if  they  were  not  Gods,  they  were  at  least 
from  God  — that  is,  endowed  by  him  with  divine  power  while 
yet  mere  children.  Thus  the  histories  of  all  Gods  and  divine 
personages  run  in  parallel  grooves. 


86 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  SAVIORS*  KINGDOMS  NOT  OE  THIS  WORLD. 

Retirement  and  Forty  Days’  Fasting. 

Christ  taught,  “ My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world.”  And 
we  find  that  most  of  the  other  Saviors  virtually  and  practically 
taught  the  same  doctrine.  The  first  practical  ev  in  cement  of  it 
was  exhibited  by  retiring  from  the  world  ; that  is,  they  retired 
from  the  noise  and  commotion,  from  the  busy  scenes  of  life, 
into  some  sequestered  spot  excluded  from  human  observation. 
Christ  is  reported  to  have  withdrawn  from  society,  and  to  have 
spent  some  forty  days  in  the  wilderness  fasting  and  being 
tempted  by  Satan  — a man  of  straw  conjured  up  in  order  to 
furnish  the  hero  God  something  to  combat  with,  that  he  might 
thereby  exhibit  practical  proof  of  his  divine  power  and  prowess. 
It  was  simply  the  two  kings  or  rulers  of  two  hostile  kingdoms 
(heaven  and  hell)  contending  for  the  mastery.  Lord  Kings- 
borough  tells  us,  “The  ancient  Mexicans  had  a forty  days’  fast 
in  honor  and  memory  of  one  of  their  demigods,  or  Saviors,  who 
was  tempted  forty  days  on  a mountain.  He  is  called  “the 
Morning  Star.”  Mr.  Kingsborough  (being  a Christian,  remarks, 
“ These  things  are  very  curious  and  mysterious.”  It  is  said  of 
“ the  Son  of  God  ” and  Savior  Chrishna  that  “he  imparted  his 
doctrines  and  precepts  in  the  silent  depths  of  the  forest.”  Of 
the  Egyptian  God  Osiris,  we  are  informed  in  his  sacred 
legends,  that  “he  observed  both  fasting  and  penance,”  while 
Pythagoras  of  Greece  spent  several  years  in  meditation  and 
retirement  in  a cave,  and  was  much  given  to  fasting,  and  often 
inculcated  the  doctrine  of  “forsaking  the  world”  and  “the 
things  thereof.”  He  taught  these  things  both  by  precept  and 


SAVIORS'  KINGDOM  NOT  OF  THIS  WORLD.  8? 


example,  even  to  “ the  forsaking  of  relations.”  Both  Confucius 
and  the  Divine  Savior  Chang-ti  of  China,  “ in  order  to  attain 
to  a more  perfect  state  of  holiness,”  spent  several  years  in  re- 
tirement and  “ divine  meditation,”  the  former  in  a wilderness, 
the  latter  on  a mountain,  and  fasted,  and  their  disciples  after 
them  often  fasted  in  a very  devout  manner.  The  Persian 
Zoroaster  also  spent  several  years  in  retirement  and  “ contem- 
plation on  tiue  holiness”  — partly  in  a wilderness  and  partly  on 
a “ holy  mountain,”  “ holy  mountains  being  the  favorite  places 
of  resort  of  most  of  the  holy  Saviors,  holy  Gods,  and  holy  men 
of  antiquity.  One  of  the  ancient  Saviors,  Thammuz,  is  reported 
to  have  spent  “twelve  years  in  devout  and  contemplative  re- 
tirement from  the  busy  world.”  According  to  the  Christian 
bible,  Moses,  Elijah,  and  Christ,  each  fasted  forty  days,  and 
a Mexican  Savior,  too  (Quexalcoate), spent  forty  days  in  a simi- 
lar manner,  and  other  cases  are  so  reported.  We  may  institute 
the  inquiry  here,  “How  happens  this  coincidence?  The 
answer  is  indicated  by  “the  Hierophant,”  which  says,  “Jesus  in 
his  baptism  and  forty  days’  fast  imitated  the  passage  of  the 
sun  through  the  constellation  Aquarius,  where  John,  Joannes, 
or  Janus  the  baptizer  had  his  domicile,  and  baptized  the  earth 
with  his  yearly  rains.”  Having  been  baptized  in  Jordan,  he 
fisted  forty  days  in  the  wilderness,  in  imitation  of  the  passage 
of  the  sun  from  the  constellation  Aquarius  through  the  Fishes  to 
the  Lamb  or  Ram  of  March.  During  the  forty  days  when  the 
sun  is  among  the  Fishes  (in  the  sign  of  the  Fish)  the  faithful 
Catholics,  Episcopalians,  and  Mahomedans  abstain  from  meat 
and  live  upon  the  fishes  during  the  season  of  Lent,  as  did  the 
Jews  and  pagans,  and  as  did  also  Jesus,  “ to  fulfill  all  righteous- 
ness.” 


88 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  SAVIORS  WERE  REAL  PERSONAGES. 

It  is  unwarrantabty  assumed  by  Christian  writers  that  the 
incarnated  Gods  and  crucified  Saviors  of  the  pagan  religions 
were  all  either  mere  fabulous  characters  or  ordinary  human 
beings  invested  with  divine  titles  and  divine  attributes ; while, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  assumption  is  put  forth  with  equal  bold 
ness  that  Jesus  Christ  was  a real  divine  personage,  “seen  and 
believed  on  in  the  world,  and  finally  crucified  on  Mount 
Calvary.”  But  we  do  not  find  the  facts  in  history  to  warrant 
any  such  assumptions  or  any  such  distinctions.  They  all 
stand  in  these  respects  upon  the  same  ground  and  on  equal 
footing.  And  their  respective  disciples  point  to  the  same  kind 
of  evidence  to  prove  their  real  existence  and  their  divine  char- 
acter, and  to  prove  that  they  once  walked  and  talked  amongst 
men,  as  well  as  now  sit  on  the  eternal  throne  in  heaven  “at  the 
right  hand  of  the  Father.”  And  we  find  even  Christian 
writers  admitting  the  once  bona  fide  or  personal  existence  on 
earth  of  most  of  the  pagan  Saviors.  As  to  the  two  chief  incar- 
nated Gods  of  India,  Chrishna  and  Sakia,  there  is  scarcely  “a 
peg  left  to  hang  a doubt  upon  ” as  to  the  fact  of  their  having 
descended  to  the  earth,  taken  upon  themselves  the  form  of 
men,  and  having  been  worshiped  as  veritable  Gods.  Indeed 
we  believe  but  few  of  the  missionaries  who  have  visited  that 
country  question  the  statement  and  general  belief  prevalent 
there  of  their  once  personal  reality.  Colonel  'Todd,  in  his 
“History  of  the  Rajahs”  (p.  44),  says,  “We  must  discard  the 
idea  that  the  Mahabarat,  the  history  of  Rama,  of  Chrishna,  and 
the  five  Padua  brothers  are  mere  allegories.  Colossal  figures, 
undent  temples,  and  caves  inscribed  with  characters  yet  un- 


THE  SAVIORS  REAL  PERSONAGES. 


89 


known,  confirm  the  reality,  and  their  race,  their  cities,  and  their 
coins  yet  exist.”  To  argue  further  the  personal  reality  of  this 
crucified  God  would  be  a waste  of  words,  as  it  is  generally 
admitted,  both  by  historical  writers  and  missionaries.  Mr. 
Higgins  declares,  w Chrishna  lived  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
brazen  age,  which  is  calculated  to  have  been  eleven  hundred 
or  twelve  hundred  years  before  Christ.”  Here  is  a very  positive 
and  specific  declaration  as  to  his  tangible  actuality.  Colonel 
Dow,  Mr.  Robinson,  and  others  use  similar  language.  Relative 
to  Bacchus,  of  whose  history  many  writers  have  spoken  as  be- 
ing wholly  fabulous  or  fictitious,  Diodorus  Siculus  says  (lib.  iii. 
p.  137),  “ the  Libyans  claim  Bacchus,  and  say  he  was  the  son 
of  Ammon,  a king  of  Libya ; that  he  built  a temple  to  his 
father,  Ammon.”  And  that  world-wide  famous  historian  (Mr. 
Goodrich)  is  still  more  explicit,  if  possible,  as  to  his  material 
entity.  After  giving  it  directly  as  his  opinion  that  there  was 
such  a being,  he  says,  “ He  planted  vineyards  and  fig  trees, 
and  erected  many  noble  cities.”  He  moreover  tells  us,  “ His 
skill  in  legislation  and  agriculture  is  much  praised”  (p.  499). 
With  respect  to  Osiris  of  Egypt,  another  God-Savior,  Mr. 
Hittle  declares  unqualifiedly  that  “ Herodotus  saw  the  tomb  of 
Osiris,  at  Sais  nearly  five  centuries  before  Christ”  (vol.  i.  p. 
246).  Rather  a strong  evidence  of  his  previous  personality 
certainly,  but  not  more  so  than  that  furnished  by  the  New 
York  Journal  of  Commerce  a few  years  since,  relative  to  the 
Egyptian  Apis  or  Thulis,  whose  theophany  was  annually  cele- 
brated, at  the  rising  of  the  Nile,  with  great  festivities  and  de- 
votion, several  thousand  years  ago.  The  Paris  correspondent 
of  that  Journal,  after  speaking  of  Mr.  Auguste  Marietta’s  travels, 
“ a distinguished  scientific  gentleman  who  for  four  years  past 
had  been  employed  by  the  French  government  in  making 
Egyptian  researches,”  having  returned  home,  says,  “ The  most 
important  of  Mr.  Marietta’s  discoveries  was  the  tomb  of  Apis 
(Thulis),  a monument  excavated  entirely  in  lime-rock.  “ There 
are  (he  says  in  conclusion)  epitaphs,  forming  a chronological 
record  of  each  of  the  Apis  buried  in  the  common  tomb.  The 
sculpture  is  of  the  date  of  the  Pyramids,  and  the  statutes  are  in 
the  best  state  of  preservation ; the  colors  are  perfectly  bright. 


90 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


The  execution  is  admirable,  and  they  convey  an  exact  idea  of 
the  physical  character  of  the  primitive  population.”  The  New 
American  Cyclopedia  (art.  Apis),  in  speaking  of  this  Egyptian 
God,  tells  us  his  lifetime  was  twenty-five  years ; in  harmony 
with  one  of  the  theologico-astronomical  cycles  of  the  Egyp- 
tians. The  same  work  and  volume  (p.  132),  in  speaking  of 
the  real  existence  of  Adonis  of  Greece,  tells  us,  upon  the 
authority  of  the  poet  Panyasis,  that  he  was  a veritable  son  of 
Theias,  king  of  Syria.  But  of  all  the  characters  who  figured 
in  the  mythological  works  or  lawless  rhapsodies  of  the  ancients, 
and  worshiped  by  them  as  crucified  Gods  and  sin-atoning 
Saviors,  none  has,  perhaps,  been  so  indubitably,  so  positively, 
and  so  universally  set  down  as  mythological  or  fabulous  as 
that  of  Prometheus  of  Caucasus.  And  yet  Mr.  Lempriere,  D.  D., 
tells  us  in  his  Classical  Dictionary  that  he  was  the  son  of  Ja- 
petus.  Sir  Isaac  Newton  says  he  was  a descendant  of  the 
famous  African  Sesostris ; while  that  erudite  and  masterly  his- 
torian (Mr.  Higgins)  seems  to  have  entertained  no  doubt  of 
his  personal  esse ; nor,  indeed,  of  many , if  any , of  the  pagan 
Saviors,  as  the  following  declaration  will  show.  He  says, 
“Finding  men  in  India  and  other  countries  of  the  same  name 
of  the  inferior  Gods  (as  it  is  quite  common  to  name  men  for 
them)  has  led  some  to  conclude  that  those  deified  men  never 
existed,  but  are  merely  mythological  names  of  the  sun.  True, 
the  first  supreme  God  of  every  nation  (not  excepting  the  Jews) 
was  the  sun.  But  more  modernly  the  names  were  transferred 
to  men.”  Again  he  says,  “Inasmuch  as  some  of  them  are 
found  to  have  been  real  bona  fide  human  beings,  there  is  noth- 
ing unreasonable  in  concluding  that  all  were”  And  if  we 
take  into  consideration  the  true  and  indisputable  fact  that  the 
priests  had  everything  at  their  disposal,  and  the  strongest 
motives  for  concealing  and  suppressing,  not  to  say  garbling  and 
destroying,  evidence,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  his- 
tories of  some  of  these  Gods  should  be  somewhat  obscure  and 
ambiguous.”  Further  on  he  declares,  “ In  every  case  the  Savior 
was  incarnate,  and  in  nearly  every  case  the  place  in  which  he 
was  actually  born  was  exhibited  to  the  people.”  And  upon  the 
authority  of  the  Hierophant,  we  will  add,  the  memories  of  many 


THE  SAVIORS  REAL  PERSONAGES. 


91 


of  them  have  been  consecrated  and  perpetuated  by  tombs 
placed  beside  their  temples,  which  is  perhaps  the  most  convin- 
cing species  of  evidence  that  could  be  offered.  The  evidence, 
then,  is  precisely  of  the  same  character  as  that  offered  in  the 
case  of  Jesus  Christ  to  prove  that  the  pagan  Saviors  did  really 
possess  a substantial,  earthly,  and  bodily  existence.  Though 
it  is  true  that  it  never  has  been  universally  conceded  or  believed 
by  Christians  themselves  that  Jesus  Christ  ever  had  a personal 
or  corporeal  existence  on  earth.  Cotilenius,  in  a note  on  Ig- 
natius, Epistle  to  the  Trallians,  written  in  the  third  century 
of  the  Christian  era,  declares  that  “ it  is  as  absurd  to  deny 
the  doctrine  which  taught  that  Jesus  Christ’s  body  was  a 
phantom  as  to  deny  that  the  sun  shone  at  midday  : his  physical 
body  of  course  was  meant,  for  it  appear  he  believed  in  his 
eternal  existence  as  a spirit  in  heaven.  And  we  find  whole 
sects  advocating  similar  views  in  the  early  ages  of  the  Christian 
church.  “One  of  the  most  primitive  and  learned  sects,”  says 
a writer,  “ were  the  Manicheans,  who  denied  that  Jesus  Christ 
ever  existed  in  flesh  and  blood,  but  believed  him  to  be  a God 
in  spirit  only;  others  denied  him  to  be  a God,  but  believed  him 
to  have  been  a prophet,  or  inspired  character,  like  the  Unitarians 
of  the  present  day.  Some  denied  his  crucifixion,  others  asserted 
it.  It  is  more  than  probable  that  this  was  the  cause  of  dispute 
between  Paul  and  Barnabas,  mentioned  in  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,  seeing  that  Paul  had  laid  such  peculiar  emphasis  on 
“Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified.”  And  this  conclusion  is  cor- 
roborated by  its  being  expressly  stated  in  the  Gospel  of  Barna- 
bas that  “Jesus  Christ  was  not  crucified,  but  was  carried  to 
heaven  by  four  angels.”  “ There  was  a long  list,”  says  the  same 
writer,  “from  the  earliest  times,  of  sincere  Christians  who  de- 
nied that  Jesus  Christ  rose  from  the  dead  ;”  while,  as  we  may 
remark  here,  there  could  not  have  been  at  that  early  date  any 
grounds  for  denying  these  things,  had  he  really  figured  in  the 
world  :n  the  miraculous  and  extraordinary  and  public  manner 
as  that  related  in  the  Gospels. 


92 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

SIXTEEN  SAVIORS  CRUCIFIED. 

“For  I determined  not  to  know  anything  among  yon,  save 
Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified.”  (1  Cor.  ii.  2.)  There  must 
have  existed  a considerable  amount  of  skepticism  in  the  com- 
munity as  to  the  truth  of  the  report  of  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus 
Christ  in  the  country  and  era  of  its  occurrence  to  make  it  ne- 
cessary thus  to  erect  it  into  an  important  dogma,  and  make  it 
imperative  to  believe  it.  There  must  have  been  a large  mar- 
gin for  distrusting  its  truth.  The  determination  not  to  know 
anything  but  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus  Christ  was  narrowing 
down  his  knowledge  to  rather  a small  compass.  And  such  a 
resolution  would  necessarily  preclude  him  from  acquainting 
himself  with  the  history  of  any  other  cases  of  crucifixion  that 
might  have  occurred  before  that  of  his  own  favorite  Messiah. 
“ What ! was  there  ever  a case  of  crucifixion  beside  that  of 
Jesus  Christ?”  a good  Christian  brother  or  sister  sometimes 
exclaims,  when  the  world’s  sixteen  crucified  Saviors  are  spo- 
ken of.” 

We  meet  the  question  with  the  reply,  “You  seem  to  be  a 
disciple  of  Paul,  whose  position  would  not  allow  him  to  know 
of  any  other  cases  of  crucifixion  but  that  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Hence  he  may  have  considered  it  meritorious  to  perpetuate 
his  ignorance  on  the  subject.  And  you,  perhaps,  are  ignorant 
from  the  same  cause.  It  is  the  nature  of  all  religions  based  on 
fear  and  unchangeable  dogmas,  to  deter  and  thus  exclude  its 
disciples  from  all  knowledge  adverse  to  their  own  creeds.  And. 
sometimes  their  own  religious  systems  are  magnified  to  such 
an  exalted  appreciation  above  all  others  as  to  lead  them  to 
destroy  the  evidence  of  the  existence  of  the  latter  for  fear  of 


SIXTEEN  SAVIORS  CRUCIFIED . 


93 


their  ultimate  rivalry.  Mr.  Taylor  informs  us  that  some  of  the 
early  disciples  of  the  Christian  faith  demolished  accessible 
monuments  representing  and  memorializing  the  crucifixion  of 
the  ancient  oriental  sin-atoning  Gods,  so  that  they  are  now 
unknown  in  the  annals  of  Christian  history.  Hence  the  sur- 
prise excited  in  the  minds  of  Christian  professors  when  other 
cases  are  mentioned.  Such  influences  as  referred  to  above 
have  shut  out  from  the  minds  of  the  disciples  of  several  reli- 
gious systems  a knowledge  of  all  crucified  Gods  but  their 
own.  Hence  the  Hindoo  rejoices  in  knowing  only  “ Chrishna 
and  him  crucified.”  The  Persian  entwines  around  his  heart  the 
remembrance  only  of  the  atoning  sufferings  on  the  cross  of 
Mithra  the  Mediator.  The  Mexican  daily  sends  up  his  earnest, 
soul-breathing  prayer  for  the  return  of  the  spirit  of  his  crucified 
Savior,  Quexalcoate ; while  the  Caucasian,  with  equal  devo- 
tion, chants  daily  praises  to  his  slain  “Divine  Intercessor”  for 
voluntarily  offering  himself  upon  the  cross  for  the  sins  of  a 
fallen  race.  And  the  Christian  disciple  hugs  to  his  bosom  the 
bloody  cross  of  the  murdered  Jesus,  unhaunted  by  the  suspicion 
that  other  Gods  died  for  the  sins  of  man  long  anterior  to  the 
advent  of  the  immaculate  Nazarene. 

We  will  now  lay  before  the  reader  a brief  account  of  the 
crucifixion  of  more  than  a dozen  virgin-born  Gods  and  sin-aton- 
ing Saviors,  predicated  upon  facts  which  have  escaped  the  hands 
of  the  Christian  iconoclasts  determined  to  know  only  Jesus 
Christ  crucified.  We  will  first  notice  the  case  of  the  Indian 
God  Chrishna. 

I.  Crucifixion  of  Chrishna  of  India,  1200  JB.  C. 

Among  the  sin-atoning  Gods  who  condescended  m ancient 
times  to  forsake  the  throne  of  heaven,  and  descend  upon  the 
plains  of  India,  through  human  birth,  to  suffer  and  die  for  the 
sins  and  transgressions  of  the  human  race,  the  eighth  Avatar, 
or  Savior,  may  be  considered  the  most  important  and  the  most 
exalted  character,  as  he  led  the  most  conspicuous  life,  and 
commanded  the  most  devout  and  the  most  universal  homage. 
And  while  some  of  the  other  incarnate  demigods  were  invested 


94 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


with  only  a limited  measure  of  the  infinite  deityship,  Chrishn% 
according  to  the  teaching  of  their  New  Testament  (the  Rama- 
zand),  comprehended  in  himself  “a  full  measure  of  the  God- 
head bodily.”  The  evidence  of  his  having  been  crucified  is  as 
conclusive  as  any  other  sacrificial  or  sin-atoning  God,  whose 
name  has  been  memorialized  in  history,  or  embalmed  as  a 
sacred  idol  in  the  memories  of  his  devout  worshipers.  Mr. 
Moore,  an  English  traveler  and  writer,  in  a large  collection  of 
drawings  taken  from  Hindoo  sculptures  and  monuments, 
which  he  has  arranged  together  in  a work  entitled  “ The  Hin- 
doo Pantheon,”  has  one  representing,  suspended  on  the  cross, 
the  Hindoo  crucified  God  and  Son  of  God,  “our  Lord  and 
Savior”  Chrishna,  with  holes  pierced  in  his  feet,  evidently  in- 
tended to  represent  the  nail-holes  made  by  the  act  of  crucifix- 
ion. Mr.  Higgins,  who  examined  this  work,  which  he  found 
in  the  British  Museum,  makes  a report  of  a number  of  the  tran 
script  drawings,  intended  to  represent  the  crucifixion  of  this 
oriental  and  mediatorial  God,  which  we  will  here  condense. 
In  plate  ninety-eight  this  Savior  is  represented  with  a hole  in 
the  top  . of  one  foot,  just  above  the  toes,  where  the  nail  was  in- 
serted in  the  act  of  crucifixion.  In  another  drawing  he  is 
represented  exactly  in  the  form  of  a Romish  Christian  crucifix, 
but  not  fixed  or  fastened  to  a tree,  though  the  legs  and  feet  are 
arranged  in  the  usual  way,  with  nail-holes  in  the  latter.  There 
is  a halo  of  glory  over  it,  emanating  from  the  heavens  above, 
just  as  we  have  seen  Jesus  Christ  represented  in  a work  by  a 
Christian  writer,  entitled  Quarles’  Emblems,  also  in  other 
Christian  books.  In  several  of  the  icons  (drawings)  there  are 
marks  of  holes  in  both  feet,  and  in  others  of  holes  in  the  hands 
only.  In  the  first  drawing  which  he  consulted  the  marks  are 
very  faint,  so  as  to  be  scarcely  visible.  In  figures  four  and 
five  of  plate  eleven  the  figures  have  nail-holes  in  both  feet, 
while  the  hands  are  not  represented.  Figure  six  has  on  it  the 
representation  of  a round  hole  in  the  side.  To  his  collar  or 
shirt  hangs  an  emblem  of  a heart,  represented  in  the  same 
manner  as  those  attached  to  the  imaginary  likenesses  of  Jesus 
Christ,  which  may  now  be  found  in  some  Christian  coun- 
tries. Figure  ninety-one  has  a hole  in  one  foot  and  a nail 


SIXTEEN  SAVIORS  CRUCIFIED . 


95 


through  the  other,  and  a round  nail  or  pin  mark  in  one  hand 
only,  while  the  other  is  ornamented  with  a dove  and  a serpent 
(both  emblems  of  deity  in  the  Christian’s  bible).  Now,  we  raise 
the  query  here,  and  drive  it  into  the  innermost  temple  of  the 
Christian’s  conscience,  with  the  overwhelming  force  of  the  un- 
conquerable logic  of  history,  what  does  all  this  mean?  And  if 
they  will  only  let  conviction  have  its  perfect  work  while  answer- 
ing this  question  unhampered  by  the  inherited  prejudices  of  a 
thousand  years,  they  can  henceforth  rejoice  in  the  discovery  of 
a glorious  historical  truth,  calculated  to  disinthrall  their  minds 
from  the  soul-cramping  superstitions  of  crosses,  crucifixions, 
and  bloody  atonements  on  which  they  have  been  accustomed 
to  hang  the  salvation  of  the  world.  If  the  credibility  of  the 
relation  of  these  incidents  going  to  prove  an  astonishing  co- 
incidence in  the  sacred  histories  of  the  Hindoo  and  Christian 
Saviors,  and  demonstrating  the  doctrine  of  the  crucifixion  as 
having  been  practically  realized,  and  preached  to  the  world 
long  anterior  to  the  offering  of  a God  “ once  for  all”  on  Mount 
Calvary;  if  its  credibility  rested  upon  mere  ex  parte  testimony, 
mere  pagan  tradition,  or  even  upon  the  best  digested  and 
most  authentic  annals  of  the  past  that  have  escaped  the  rav- 
ages of  time,  there  might  still  be  a forlorn  hope  for  the  stickler 
for  the  Christian  faith  now  struggling  in  the  agonies  of  a credal 
skepticism,  that  the  whole  thing  has  been  plagiarized  from  the 
Christian  Gospels.  For  paper  and  parchment  history  can  be, 
and  has  been,  mutilated.  But  the  verity  of  this  account  rests 
upon  no  such  a precarious  basis.  Its  antiquity,  reaching  far 
beyond  the  Christian  era,  is  corroborated  and  demonstrated 
by  imperishable  monuments,  deep-chiseled  indentures  bur- 
rowed into  the  granite  rock,  which  bid  defiance  to  the  fingers 
of  time,  and  even  the  hands  of  the  frenzied  iconoclast,  to  de- 
stroy or  deface,  though  impelled  and  spurred  on  to  the  effort 
by  the  long-cherished  conviction  burning  in  his  soul,  that  the 
salvation  of  the  human  race  depends  upon  believing  that  “ there 
is  no  other  name  given  under  heaven  whereby  men  can  be 
saved”  than  his  own  crucified  God,  and  that  all  others  are 
but  thieves,  robbers,  and  antichrists.  Some  o i the  disciples  of 
the  oriental  systems  cherished  this  conviction,  and  Christians 


9G 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


and  Mahomedans  seem  to  have  inherited  it  in  magnified  pro- 
portions. Hence  we  are  credibly  informed  that  some  of  the 
earlier  Christian  saints,  having  determined,  like  Paul,  “to  know 
only  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified,”  made  repeated  efforts  to 
obliterate  these  sacred  facts  (so  fatally  damaging  to  their  one- 
sided creeds)  from  the  page  of  history.  Mr.  Higgins  suggests 
that  if  we  could  have  persons  less  under  the  influence  of  sec- 
tarian prejudice  to  visit,  examine,  and  report  on  the  sculptures 
and  monuments  of  India,  covered  over  as  they  are  with  anti- 
quated and  significant  figures  appertaining  to  and  illustrating 
their  religious  history,  we  might  accumulate  still  more  light 
bearing  upon  the  history  of  the  crucifixion  of  the  Savior  and 
sin-atoning  Chrishna.  “ Most  of  our  reports,”  he  declares,  “ are 
fragmentary,  if  not  one-sided,  having  come  through  the  hands  of 
Christian  missionaries,  bishops,  and  priests.”  He  informs  us  that 
a report  on  the  Hindoo  religion,  made  out  by  a deputation  from 
the  British  Parliament,  sent  to  India  for  the  purpose  of  examin- 
ing their  sacred  books  and  monuments,  being  left  in  the  hands  of 
a Christian  bishop  at  Calcutta,  and  with  instructions  to  forward 
it  to  England,  was  found,  on  its  arrival  in  London,  to  be  so  hor- 
ribly mutilated  and  eviscerated  as  to  be  scarcely  cognizable. 
The  account  of  the  crucifixion  was  gone  — cancelled  out.  The 
inference  is  patent. 

And  we  have  it  upon  the  authority  of  this  same  reliable  and 
truthful  writer  (Sir  Godfrey  Higgins),  that  the  author  of  the 
Hindoo  Pantheon  (Mr.  Moor),  after  having  announced  his 
intention  to  publish  it  to  the  world,  was  visited  and  labored 
with  by  some  of  his  devout  Christian  neighbors  zealous  “for 
the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints,”  who  endeavored  to  dis- 
suade him  from  publishing  such  facts  to  the  world  as  he  repre- 
sented his  book  to  contain,  for  fear  it  would  have  the  effect  to 
unsettle  the  faith  of  some  of  the  weak  brethren  (some  of  the 
weak-kneed  church  members)  in  the  soul-saving  religion  of 
Jesus  Cfhrist,  by  raising  doubts  in  their  minds  as  to  the  origi- 
nality of  the  gospel  story  of  the  crucifixion  of  Christ,  or  at  least 
of  his  having  been  crucified  as  a God  for  a sin-offering.  His 
crucifixion  is  a possible  event.  It  may  be  thus  far  a true  nar- 
rative, but  the  adjunct  of  the  atonement,  with  its  efficacy  to 


SIXTEEN  CRUCIFIED  SAVIORS. 


97 


obliterate  the  effects  of  sin,  connected  with  the  idea  that  an 
infinite,  omnipotent,  and  self-existent  God  was  put  to  death, 
when  a human  form  was  slain  upon  the  cross,  never,  no,  never: 
it  is  a thought  too  monstrous  to  find  lodgment  in  an  enlight- 
ened human  mind. 

Another  case  evincing  the  same  spirit  as  that  narrated  above 
is  found  in  the  circumstance  of  a Christian  missionary  (a  Mr. 
Maurice)  publishing  a historical  account  of  this  man-god  or 
demigod  of  the  Hindoos,  and  omitting  any  allusion  to  his  cru- 
cifixion : this  was  entirely  left  out,  apparently  from  design.  His 
death,  resurrection,  and  ascension  were  spoken  of,  but  the  cruci- 
fixion skipped  over.  He  could  not  have  been  ignorant  of  this 
chapter  in  his  history,  as  the  writers  preceding  him,  from  whom 
he  copied,  had  related  it.  Among  this  number  may  be  men- 
tioned the  learned  French  writer  Monsieur  Guigniant,  who,  in 
his  “Religion  of  the  Ancients,”  speaks  so  specifically  of  the  cru- 
cifixion of  this  God,  as  to  name  the  circumstance  of  his  being 
nailed  to  a tree.  He  also  states,  that  before  his  exit  he  made 
some  remarkable  prophecies  appertaining  to  the  crimes  and 
miseries  of  the  world  in  the  approaching  future,  reminding  us 
of  the  wars  and  rumors  of  wars  predicted  by  the  Christian 
Messiah.  Mr.  Higgins  names  the  same  circumstance.  We 
have  it  upon  the  authority  of  more  than  one  writer  on  Hindoo 
or  Indian  antiquities  that  there  is  a rock  temple  at  Mathura  in 
the  form  of  a cross,  and  facing  the  four  cardinal  points  of  the 
compass,  which  is  admitted  by  all  beholders  as  presenting  the 
proof  in  bold  relief  of  extreme  age,  and  inside  of  this  temple 
stands  a statue  of  “the  Savior  of  men,”  Chrishna  of  India,  pre- 
senting the  proof  of  being  coeval  in  construction  with  the 
temple  itself  by  the  circumstance  of  its  being  cut  out  of  the 
same  rock  and  constituting  apart  of  the  temple.  (Further  cita- 
tions of  this  character  will  be  found  under  the  head  of  Parallels, 
Chapter  XXXII.) 

Thus  we  have  the  proof  deeply  and  indelibly  carved  in  the 
old  time-chiseled  rocks  of  India,  that  their  “Lord  and  Savior 
Chrishna”  atoned  for  the  sins  of  a guilt-stricken  world  by 
“pouring  out  his  blood  as  a propitiatory  offering”  while 
stretched  upon  the  cross.  No  wonder,  in  view  of  such  historic 
7 


98 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIOR 


bulwarks,  Colonel  Wiseman,  for  ten  years  a Christian  mission- 
ary, should  have  exclaimed,  “ Can  we  be  surprised  that  the  ene- 
mies of  our  holy  religion  should  seize  upon  this  legend  (the  cru- 
cifixion of  Chrishna)  as  containing  the  original  of  our  gospel 
history?”  Christian  reader,  please  ponder  over  the  facts  of  this 
chapter,  and  let  conviction  have  its  perfect  work. 

Life,  Character,  Religion,  and  Miracles  of  Chrishna. 

The  history  of  Chrishna  Zeus  (or  Jeseus,  as  some  writers 
spell  it)  is  contained  principally  in  the  Baghavat  Gita,  the  epi- 
sode portion  of  the  Mahabarat  bible.  The  book  is  believed  to 
be  divinely  inspired,  like  all  other  bibles ; and  the  Hindoos 
claim  for  it  an  antiquity  of  six  thousand  years.  Like  Christ,  he 
was  of  humble  origin,  and  like  him  had  to  encounter  opposition 
and  persecution.  But  he  seems  to  have  been  more  successful 
in  the  propagation  of  his  doctrines;  for  it  is  declared,  “he 
soon  became  surrounded  by  many  earnest  followers,  and  the 
people  in  vast  multitudes  followed  him,  crying  aloud,  c This  is 
indeed  the  Redeemer  promised  to  our  fathers.5  ” His  pathway 
was  thickly  strewn  with  miracles,  wThich  consisted  in  healing  the 
sick,  curing  lepers,  restoring  the  dumb,  deaf,  and  the  blind, 
raising  the  dead,  aiding  the  weak,  comforting  the  sorrow- 
stricken,  relieving  the  oppressed,  casting  out  devils,  &c.  He 
came  not  ostensibly  to  destroy  the  previous  religion,  but  to 
purify  it  of  its  impurities,  and  preach  a better  doctrine.  He 
came,  as  he  declared,  “to  reject  evil  and  restore  the  reign  of 
good,  and  redeem  man  from  the  consequences  of  the  fall,  and 
deliver  the  oppressed  earth  from  its  load  of  sin  and  suffering.” 
His  disciples  believed  him  to  be  God  himself,  and  millions 
worshiped  him  as  such  in  the  time  of  Alexander  the  Great, 
830  B.  C.  The  hundreds  of  counterparts  to  the  history  of 
Christ,  proving  their  histories  to  be  almost  identical,  will  be 
found  enumerated  in  Chapter  XXXII.,  such  as,  1.  His  miracu- 
lous birth  by  a virgin  ; 2.  The  mother  and  child  being  visited 
by  shepherds,  wise  men,  and  the  angelic  host,  who  joyously 
sang,  “In  thy  delivery,  O favored  among  women,  all  nations 
shall  have  cause  to  exult;”  3.  The  edict  of  the  tyrant  ruler 


SIXTEEN  CRUCIFIED  SAVIORS. 


99 


Cansa  ordering  all  the  first  born  to  be  put  to  death  ; 4.  The 
miraculous  escape  of  the  mother  and  child  from  his  bloody 
decree  by  the  parting  of  the  waves  of  the  River  Jumna  to  per- 
mit them  to  pass  through  on  dry  ground ; 5.  The  early  retire- 
ment of  Chrishna  to  a desert;  6.  His  baptism  or  ablution  in  the 
River  Ganges,  corresponding  to  Christ’s  baptism  in  Jordan  ; 7. 
His  transfiguration  at  Madura,  where  he  assured  his  disciples 
that  “ present  or  absent,  I will  always  be  with  you  ; ” 8.  He 
had  a favorite  disciple  (Arjoon),  who  was  his  bosom  friend,  as 
John  was  Christ’s ; 9.  He  was  anointed  with  oil  by  women,  like 
Christ ; 10.  A somewhat  similar  fish  story  is  also  told  of  him 
— his  disciples  being  enabled  by  him  to  catch  large  draughts 
of  the  finny  prey  in  their  nets.  (For  three  hundred  other  simi- 
lar parallels,  see  Chapter  XXXII.)  Like  Christ  he  taught  much 
by  parables  and  precepts.  A notable  sermon  preached  by  him 
is  also  reported,  which  we  have  not  space  for  here.  On  one 
occasion,  having  returned  from  a ministerial  journey,  as  he 
entered  Madura,  the  people  came  out  in  crowds  to  meet  him, 
strewing  the  ground  with  the  branches  of  cocoa-nut  trees,  and 
desiring  to  hear  him  ; he  addressed  them  in  parables  — the  con- 
clusion and  moral  of  one  of  which,  called  the  parable  of  the 
fishes,  runs  thus  : “ And  thus  it  is,  O people  of  Madura,  that  you 
ought  to  protect  the  weak  and  each  other,  and  not  retaliate 
upon  an  enemy  the  wrongs  he  may  have  done  you.”  Here  we 
see  the  peace  doctrine  preached  in  its  purity.  “ And  thus  it 
was,”  says  a writer,  “that  Chrishna  spread  among  the  people 
the  holy  doctrines  of  purest  morality,  and  initiated  his  hearers 
into  the  exalted  principles  of  charity,  of  self-denial,  and  self- 
respect  at  a time  when  the  desert  countries  of  the  west  were 
inhabited  only  by  savage  tribes;  ” and  we  will  add,  long  before 
Christianity  was  thought  of.  Purity  of  life  and  spiritual  in- 
sight, we  are  told,  were  distinguishing  traits  ” in  the  character 
of  this  oriental  sin-atoning  Savior,  and  that  “ he  was  often 
moved  with  compassion  for  the  down-trodden  and  the  suffer- 
ing.” A Budhist  in  Ceylon,  who  sent  his  son  to  a Christian 
school,  once  remarked  to  a missionary,  “ I respect  Christianity 
as  a help  to  Budhism.”  Thus  is  disclosed  the  fact  that  the 
motives  of  some  of  “the  heathen”  in  sending  to  Christian 


100 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


schools  is  the  promotion  of  their  own  religion,  which  they  con 
sider  superior,  and  in  many  respects  most  of  them  are.  (For 
proof  see  Chapter  on  Bibles.)  We  have  the  remarkable  admis- 
sion of  the  Christian  Examiner  that  u the  best  precepts  of  the 
(Christian)  bible  are  contained  in  the  Hindoo  Baghavat.” 
Then  it  is  not  true  that  “ Christ  spake  as  never  man  spake.” 
And  if  his  “best  precepts”  were  previously  recorded  in  an  old 
heathen  bible,  then  they  afford  no  proof  of  his  divinity.  This 
suicidal  concession  of  the  Examiner  pulls  up  the  claims  of 
orthodox  Christianity  by  the  roots.  And  many  of  the  precepts 
uttered  by  Chrishna  display  a profound  wisdom  and  depth  of 
thought  equal  to  any  of  those  attributed  to  Jesus  Christ.  In 
proof  of  the  statement,  we  will  cite  a few  examples  out  of  the 
hundreds  in  our  possession. 

1.  Those  who  do  not  control  their  passions  cannot  act  properly 
toward  others. 

2.  The  evils  we  inflict  upon  others  follow  us  as  our  shadows 
follow  our  bodies. 

3.  Only  the  humble  are  beloved  of  God. 

4.  Virtue  sustains  the  soul  as  the  muscles  sustain  the 
body. 

5.  When  the  poor  man  knocks  at  your  door,  take  him  and 
administer  to  his  wants,  for  the  poor  are  the  chosen  of  God 
(Christ  said,  “God  hath  chosen  the  poor”). 

6.  Let  your  hand  be  always  open  to  the  unfortunate. 

7.  Look  not  upon  a woman  with  unchaste  desires. 

8.  Avoid  envy,  covetousness,  falsehood,  imposture  and  slan- 
der, and  sexual  desires. 

9.  Above  all  things,  cultivate  love  for  your  neighbor. 

10.  When  you  die  you  leave  your  worldly  wealth  behind 
you,  but  your  virtues  and  vices  follow  you. 

11.  Contemn  riches  and  worldly  honor. 

12.  Seek  the  company  of  the  wicked  in  order  to  reform 
them. 

13.  Do  good  for  its  own  sake,  and  expect  not  your  reward 
for  it  on  earth. 

14.  The  soul  is  immortal,  but  must  be  pure  and  free  from 
all  sin  and  stain  before  it  can  return  to  Him  who  gave  it. 


SIXTEEN  CRUCIFIED  SAVIORS . 


101 


15.  The  soul  is  inclined  to  good  when  it  follows  the  inward 
light. 

16.  The  soul  is  responsible  to  God  for  its  actions,  who  has 
established  rewards  and  punishments. 

17.  Cultivate  that  inward  knowledge  which  teaches  what  is 
right  and  wrong. 

18.  Never  take  delight  in  another’s  misfortunes. 

19.  It  is  better  to  forgive  an  injury  than  avenge  it. 

20.  You  can  accomplish  by  kindness  what  you  cannot  by 
force. 

21.  A noble  spirit  finds  a cure  for  injustice  by  forget- 
ting it. 

22.  Pardon  the  offense  of  others,  but  not  your  own. 

28.  What  you  blame  in  others  do  not  practice  yourself. 

24.  By  forgiving  an  enemy  you  make  many  friends. 

25.  Do  right  from  hatred  of  evil,  and  not  from  fear  of  pun- 
ishment. 

26.  A wise  man  corrects  his  own  errors  by  observing  those 
of  others. 

27.  He  who  rules  his  temper  conquers  his  greatest  en- 
emy. 

28.  The  wise  man  governs  his  passions,  but  the  fool  obeys 
them. 

29.  Be  at  war  with  men’s  vices,  but  at  peace  with  their 
persons. 

30.  There  should  be  no  disagreement  between  your  lives 
and  your  doctrine. 

31.  Spend  every  day  as  though  it  were  the  last. 

32.  Lead  not  one  life  in  public  and  another  in  private. 

33.  Anger  in  trying  to  torture  others  punishes  itself. 

34.  A disgraceful  death  is  honorable  when  you  die  in  a good 
cause. 

35.  By  growing  familiar  with  vices,  we  learn  to  tolerate  them 
easily. 

36.  We  must  master  our  evil  propensities,  or  they  will  mas- 
ter us. 

37.  He  who  has  conquered  his  propensities  rules  over  a 
kingdom. 


102 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


38.  Protect  love,  and  assist  others,  if  you  would  serve  God. 

39.  From  thought  springs  the  will,  and  from  the  will  action, 
true  or  false,  just  or  unjust. 

40.  As  the  sandal  tree  perfumes  the  ax  which  fells  it,  so  the 
good  man  sheds  fragrance  on  his  enemies. 

41.  Spend  a portion  of  each  day  in  pious  devotion. 

42.  To  love  the  virtues  of  others  is  to  brighten  your  own. 

43.  He  who  gives  to  the  needy  loses  nothing  himself. 

44.  A good,  wise,  and  benevolent  man  cannot  be  rich. 

45.  Much  riches  is  a curse  to  the  possessor. 

46.  The  wounds  of  the  soul  are  more  important  than  those 
of  the  body. 

47.  The  virtuous  man  is  like  the  banyan  tree,  which  shelters 
and  protects  all  around  it. 

48.  Money  does  not  satisfy  the  love  of  gain,  but  only  stimu- 
lates it. 

49.  Your  greatest  enemy  is  in  your  own  bosom. 

50.  To  flee  when  charged  is  to  confess  your  guilt. 

51.  The  wounds  of  conscience  leave  a scar. 

Compare  these  fifty-one  precepts  of  Chrishna  with  the  forty- 
two  precepts  of  Christ,  and  you  must  confess  they  suffer  noth- 
ing by  the  comparison.  If  we  had  space  we  would  like  to 
quote  also  from  the  Vedas.  We  will  merely  cite  a few  exam- 
ples relative  to  woman. 

1.  He  who  is  cursed  by  woman  is  cursed  by  God. 

2.  God  will  punish  him  who  laughs  at  woman’s  sufferings. 

3.  When  woman  is  honored,  God  is  honored. 

4.  The  virtuous  woman  will  have  but  one  husband,  and  the 
right-minded  man  but  one  wife. 

5.  It  is  the  highest  crime  to  take  advantage  of  the  weakness 
of  woman. 

6.  Woman  should  be  loved,  respected,  and  protected  by 
husbands,  fathers,  and  brothers,  &c.  (For  more,  see  Chapter 
on  Bibles.) 

Before  we  close  this  chapter  we  must  anticipate  and  answer 
an  objection.  It  will  be  said  that  the  reported  amours  of 
Chrishna  and  his  rencounter  with  Cansa  constitute  a criticism 
on  his  character.  If  so,  we  will  point  to  Christ’s  fight  or  angrj 


SIXTEEN  CRUCIFIED  SAVIORS. 


108 


combat  with  the  money-changers  in  the  temple  as  an  offset  to  it. 
And  then  it  should  be  remembered  that  Chrishna’s  disciples 
claim  that  these  stories  are  mere  fable,  or  allegorical,  and  are 
not  found  in  the  most  approved  or  canonical  writings. 

II.  Crucifixion  of  the  Hindoo  Sakia,  600  B.  C. 

How  many  Gods  who  figured  in  Hindoo  history  suffered 
death  upon  the  cross  as  atoning  offerings  for  the  sins  of  man- 
kind is  a point  not  clearly  established  by  their  sacred  books. 
But  the  death  of  the  God  above  named,  known  as  Sakia, 
Budha  Sakia,  or  Sakia  Muni,  is  distinctly  referred  to  by  several 
writers,  both  oriental  and  Christian,  though  there  appears 
to  be  in  Budhist  countries  different  accounts  of  the  death 
of  the  famous  and  extensively  worshiped  sin-atoning  Saviors. 
In  some  countries  the  story  runs  a God  was  crucified  by  an 
arrow  being  driven  through  his  body,  which  fastened  him  to 
a tree:  the  tree,  with  the  arrow  thus  projecting  at  right  an- 
gles, formed  the  cross,  emblematical  of  the  atoning  sacrifice. 
Sakia,  an  account  states,  was  crucified  by  his  enemies  for  the 
humble  act  of  plucking  a flower  in  a garden  — doubtless  seized 
on  as  a mere  pretext,  rather  than  as  being  considered  a crime. 
One  of  the  accusations  brought  against  Christ,  it  will  be  re- 
membered, was  that  of  plucking  the  ripened  ears  of  corn  on 
the  Sabbath.  And  it  is  a remarkable  circumstance,  that  in 
the  pictures  of  Christian  countries  representing  the  virgin 
Mary  with  the  infant  Jesus  in  her  arms,  either  the  child  or  the 
mother  is  frequently  represented  with  a bunch  of  flowers  in  the 
hand.  Here  let  it  be  noted,  the  association  of  flowers  with 
divinely  born  Saviors,  in  India,  is  indicated  in  the  religious 
books  of  that  country  to  have  originated  from  the  conception 
of  the  virgin  parting  with  the  flowers  of  her  virginity  by  giv- 
ing birth  to  a divine  child,  whereby  she  lost  the  immortality  of 
her  physical  nature,  it  being  transferred  by  that  act  to  her 
Deity-begotten  son.  And  from  this  circumstance,  Sakia  is 
represented  as  having  been  crucified  for  abstracting  a flower 
from  a garden.  That  his  crucifixion  was  designed  as  a sin* 
atoning  offering,  is  evident  from  the  following  declaration 


104 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


found  in  his  sacred  biography,  viz.,  “ He  in  mercy  left  Paradise, 
and  came  down  to  earth  because  he  was  filled  with  compassion 
for  the  sins  and  miseries  of  mankind.  He  songht  to  lead  them 
into  better  paths,  and  took  their  sufferings  upon  himself  that 
he  might  expiate  their  crimes  and  mitigate  the  punishment 
they  must  otherwise  inevitably  undergo.”  (Prog.  Rel.  Ideas, 
vol.  i.  p.  86.) 

He  believed  and  taught  his  followers  that  all  sin  is  inevitably 
punished,  either  in  this  or  the  future  life ; and  so  great  were 
his  sympathy  and  tenderness,  that  he  condescended  to  suffer 
that  punishment  himself,  by  an  ignominious  death  upon  the 
cross,  after  which  he  descended  into  Hades  (Hell),  to  suffer  for 
a time  (three  days)  for  the  inmates  of  that  dreadful  and  hor- 
rible prison,  that  he  might  show  he  sympathized  with  them. 
After  his  resurrection,  and  before  his  ascension  to  heaven,  as 
well  as  during  his  earthly  sojourn,  he  imparted  to  the  world 
some  beautiful,  lofty,  and  soul-elevating  precepts. 

“The  object  of  his  mission,”  says  a writer,  “ was  to  instruct 
those  who  were  straying  from  the  right  path,  and  expiate  the 
sins  of  mortals  by  his  own  suffering,  and  procure  for  them  a 
happy  entrance  into  Paradise  by  obedience  to  his  precepts  and 
prayers  to  his  name.”  (Ibid.)  “ His  followers  always  speak  of 
him  as  one  with  God  from  all  eternity.”  (Ibid.)  His  most 
common  title  was  “the  Savior  of  the  World.”  He  was  also 
called  “ the  Benevolent  One,”  “ the  Dispenser  of  Grace,”  “ the 
Source  of  Life,”  “the  Light  of  the  World,”  “the  True  Light,” 
&c.  His  mother  was  a very  pure,  refined,  pious,  and  devout 
woman;  never  indulged  in  any  impure  thoughts,  words,  or 
actions.  She  was  so  much  esteemed  for  her  virtues  and  for 
being  the  mother  of  a God,  that  an  escort  of  ladies  attended 
her  wherever  she  went.  The  trees  bowed  before  her  as  she 
passed  through  the  forest,  and  flowers  sprang  up  wherever  her 
foot  pressed  the  ground.  She  was  saluted  as  “ the  Holy  Virgin, 
Queen  of  Heaven.”  It  is  said  that  when  her  divine  child  was 
born,  he  stood  upright  and  proclaimed,  “I  will  put  an  end  to 
the  sufferings  and  sorrows  of  the  world.”  And  immediately  a 
light  shone  round  about  the  young  Messiah.  He  spent  much 
time  in  retirement,  and,  like  Christ  in  another  respect,  was  once 


SIXTEEN  CRUCIFIED  SAVIORS. 


105 


tempted  by  a demon  who  offered  him  all  the  honors  and  wealth 
of  the  world.  But  he  rebuked  the  devil,  saying,  “Be  gone; 
hinder  me  not.”  He  began,  like  Christ,  to  preach  his  gospel 
and  heal  the  sick  when  about  twenty-eight  years  of  age.  And 
it  is  declared,  “The  blind  saw,  the  deaf  heard,  the  dumb  spoke, 
the  lame  danced,  and  the  crooked  became  straight.”  Hence  the 
people  declared,  “He  is  no  mortal  child,  but  an  incarnation  of 
the  Deity.”  His  religion  was  of  a very  superior  character.  He 
proclaimed,  “My  law  is  a law  of  grace  for  all.”  His  religion 
knew  no  race,  no  sex,  no  caste,  and  no  aristocratic  priesthood. 
“It  taught,”  says  Max  Muller,  “ the  equality  of  all  men,  and  the 
brotherhood  of  the  human  race.”  “ All  men,  without  regard  to 
rank,  birth,  or  nation,”  says  Dunckar,  “ form,  according  to 
Budha’s  view,  one  great  suffering  association  in  this  earthly 
vale  of  tears  ; therefore  the  commandments  of  love,  forbear- 
ance, patience,  compassion,  pity,  brotherliness  of  all  men.” 
Klaproth  (a  German  professor  of  oriental  languages)  says  this 
religion  is  calculated  to  ennoble  the  human  race.  “ It  is  diffi- 
cult to  comprehend,”  says  a French  writer  (M.  Laboulay), 
“ how  men,  not  assisted  by  revelation,  could  have  soared  so 
high,  and  approached  so  near  the  truth.”  Dunckar  says  this 
oriental  God  “ taught  self-denial,  chastity,  temperance,  the  con- 
trol of  the  passions,  to  bear  injustice  from  others,  to  suffer  death 
quietly,  and  without  hate  of  your  persecutor,  to  grieve  not 
for  one’s  own  misfortunes,  but  for  those  of  others.”  An  in- 
vestigation of  their  history  will  show  that  they  lived  up  to 
these  moral  injunctions.  “Besides  the  five  great  command- 
ments,” says  a Wesleyan  missionary  (Spense  Hardy)  in  his 
Dahmma  Padam,  “ every  shade  of  vice,  hypocrisy,  anger,  pride, 
suspicion,  greediness,  gossiping,  and  cruelty  to  animals  is 
guarded  against  by  special  precepts.  Among  the  virtues 
recommended,  we  find  not  only  reverence  for  parents,  care 
for  children,  submission  to  authority,  gratitude,  moderation  in 
all  things,  submission  in  time  of  trial,  equanimity  at  all  times, 
but  virtues  unknown  in  some  systems  of  morality,  such  as 
the  duty  of  forgiving  injuries,  and  not  rewarding  evil  for 
evil.”  And  we  will  add,  both  charity  and  love  are  specially 
recommended.  We  have  it  also  upon  the  authority  of  Dunckai 


106 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


that  “ Budha  proclaimed  that  salvation  and  redemption  have 
come  for  all,  even  the  lowest  and  most  abject  classes.”  For  he 
broke  down  the  iron  caste  of  the  Brahminical  code  which  had 
so  long  ruled  India,  and  aimed  to  place  all  mankind  upon  a 
level.  His  followers  have  been  stigmatized  by  Christian  pro- 
fessors as  “ idolaters ; ” but  Sir  John  Bowring,  in  his  a King- 
dom and  People  of  Siam,”  denies  that  they  are  idolaters,  “ be- 
cause,” says  he,  “ no  Budhist  believes  his  image  to  be  God,  or 
anything  more  than  an  outward  representation  of  Deity.” 
Their  deific  images  are  looked  upon  with  the  same  views  and 
feelings  as  a Christian  venerates  the  photograph  of  his  deceased 
friend.  Hence,  if  one  is  an  idolater,  the  other  is  also.  With 
respect  to  the  charge  of  polytheism,  Missionary  Hue  says,  “ that 
although  their  religion  embraces  many  inferior  deities,  who  fill 
the  same  offices  that  angels  do  under  the  Christian  system; 
yet,”  adds  M.  Hue,  “monotheism  is  the  real  character  of 
Budhism,”  and  confirms  the  statement  by  the  testimony  of  a 
Thibetan. 

It  should  be  noted  here  that  although  Budhism  succeeded  in 
converting  about  three  hundred  millions,  or  one  third  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  globe,  it  was  never  propagated  by  the  sword, 
and  ne  ver  persecuted  the  disciples  of  other  religions.  Its  con- 
quests were  made  by  a rational  appeal  to  the  human  mind. 
Mr.  Hodgson  says,  “It  recognizes  the  infinite  capacity  of  the 
human  intellect.”  And  St.  Hilaire  declares,  “ Love  for  all  beings 
is  its  nucleus;  and  to  love  our  enemies,  and  not  persecute,  are 
the  virtues  of  this  people.”  Max  Muller  says,  “ Its  moral  code, 
taken  by  itself,  is  one  of  the  most  perfect  the  world  has  ever 
known.”  Its  five  commandments  are, — 

1.  Thou  shalt  not  kill. 

2.  Thou  shalt  not  steal. 

S.  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery  or  any  impurity. 

4.  Thou  shalt  not  lie. 

5.  Thou  shalt  not  intoxicate  thyself. 

To  establish  the  above  cited  doctrines  and  precepts,  Budha 
sent  forth  his  disciples  into  the  world  to  preach  his  gospel  to 
every  creature.  And  if  any  convert  had  committed  a sin  in 
word,  thought,  or  deed,  he  was  to  confess  and  repent.  One  of 


SIXTEEN  CRUCIFIED  SAVIORS. 


107 


the  tracts  which  they  distributed  declares,  “There  is  undoubt- 
edly a life  after  this  in  which  the  virtuous  may  expect  the 
reward  of  their  good  deeds.  . . . Judgment  takes  place  im- 
mediately after  death.”  Budha  and  his  followers  set  an  ex- 
ample to  the  world  of  enduring  opposition  and  persecution  with 
great  patience  and  non-resistance.  And  some  of  them  suffered 
martyrdom  rather  than  abandon  their  principles,  and  gloried  in 
thus  sealing  their  doctrines  with  their  lives.  A story  is  told  of 
a rich  merchant,  by  the  name  of  Purna,  forsaking  all  to  follow 
his  lord  and  master ; and  also  of  his  encountering  and  talking 
with  a woman  of  low  caste  at  a well,  which  reminds  us  of  similar 
incidents  in  the  history  of  Christ.  But  his  enemies,  becoming 
jealous  and  fearful  of  his  growing  power,  finally  crucified  him 
near  the  foot  of  the  Nepaul  mountains,  about  600  B.  C.  But 
after  his  death,  burial,  and  resurrection,  we  are  told  he  ascended 
back  to  heaven,  where  millions  of  his  followers  believed  he  had 
existed  with  Brahma  from  all  eternity. 

[Note.  In  the  cases  of  crucifixion  which  follow,  nothing  like  accuracy 
can  be  expected  with  respect  to  the  dates  of  their  occurrence,  as  all  his- 
tory covering  the  period  beyond  the  modern  era,  or  prior  to  the  time  of 
Alexander  the  Great  (330  B.  C.)  is  involved  in  a labyrinth  of  uncertainty 
with  respect  to  dates.  Hence  bible  clironologists  differ  to  the  extent  of 
three  thousand  years  with  respect  to  the  time  of  every  event  recorded  in 
the  Old  Testament.  Compare  the  Hebrew  and  Septuagint  versions  of 
the  bible : the  former  makes  the  world  three  thousand  nine  hundred  and 
forty -four,  and  the  latter  five  thousand  two  hundred  and  seventy  years 
old  at  the  birth  of  Christ  — a difference  of  thirteen  hundred  and  twenty- 
six  years.  And  other  translations  differ  still  more  widely.  All  the  cases 
of  crucifixion  which  follow  occurred  before  the  time  of  Christ,  but  the  ex- 
act time  of  many  of  them  cannot  be  fixed  with  certainty.] 


III.  Thammuz  of  Syria  Crucified,  1160  B.  C. 

The  history  of  this  God  is  furnished  us  in  fragments  by 
several  writers,  portions  of  which  will  be  found  in  other  chap- 
ters of  this  work.  The  fullest  history  extant  of  this  God- 
Savior  is  probably  that  of  Ctesias  (400  B.  C.),  author  of  “ Per- 
sika.”  The  poet  has  perpetuated  his  memory  in  rhyme. 


108 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


“Trust,  ye  saints,  your  Lord  restored; 

Trust  ye  in  your  risen  Lord; 

For  the  pains  which  Thamrauz  endured 
Our  salvation  have  procured.” 

Mr.  Higgins  informs  us  (Anac.  vol.  i.  p.  246)  that  this  God 
was  crucified  at  the  period  above  named,  as  a sin-atoning  offer- 
ing. The  stanza  just  quoted  is  predicated  upon  the  follow- 
ing Greek  text,  translated  by  Godwin : “ Trust  ye  in  God,  for 
out  of  his  loins  salvation  is  come  unto  us.”  Julius  Firmicus 
speaks  of  this  God  “ rising  from  the  dead  for  the  salvation  of 
the  world.”  The  Christian  writer  Parkhurst  alludes  to  this 
Savior  as  preceding  the  advent  of  Christ,  and  as  filling  to  some 
extent  the  same  chapter  in  sacred  history. 

IY.  CRUCIFIXION  OF  WlTTOBA  OF  THE  TeLINGONESE, 

552  B.  C. 

We  have  a very  conclusive  historical  proof  of  the  crucifixion 
of  this  heathen  God.  Mr.  Higgins  tells  us,  “He  is  represented 
in  his  history  with  nail-holes  in  his  hands  and  the  soles  of  his 
feet.”  Nails,  hammers,  and  pincers  are  constantly  seen  repre- 
sented on  his  crucifixes,  and  are  objects  of  adoration  among  his 
followers.  And  the  iron  crown  of  Lombardy  has  within  it  a 
nail  of  what  is  claimed  as  his  true  original  cross,  and  is  much 
admired  and  venerated  on*  that  account.  The  worship  of  this 
crucified  God,  according  to  our  author,  prevails  chiefly  in  the 
Travancore  and  other  southern  countries  in  the  region  of 
Madura. 


V.  Iao  of  Nepaul  Crucified,  622  B.  C. 

With  respect  to  the  crucifixion  of  this  ancient  Savior,  we 
have  this  very  definite  and  specific  testimony  that  “ he  was 
crucified  on  a tree  in  Nepaul.”  (See  Georgius,  p.  202.)  The 
name  of  this  incarnate  God  and  oriental  Savior  occurs  fre- 
quently in  the  holy  bibles  and  sacred  books  of  other  countries. 
Some  suppose  that  Iao  (often  spelt  Jao)  is  the  root  of  the  name 
of*  the  Jewish  God  Jehovah. 


SIXTEEN  CRUCIFIED  SAVIORS . 


109 


VI.  Hesus  of  the  Celtic  Druids  Crucified,  834  B.  C. 

Mr.  Higgins  informs  us  that  the  Celtic  Druids  represent  their 
God  Hesus  as  having  been  crucified  with  a lamb  on  one  side 
and  an  elephant  on  the  other,  and  that  this  occurred  long  be- 
fore the  Christian  era.  Also  that  a representation  of  it  may 
now  be  seen  upon  “the  fire  tower  of  Brechin.” 

In  this  symbolical  representation  of  the  crucifixion,  the  ele- 
phant, being  the  largest  animal  known,  was  chosen  to  represent 
the  magnitude  of  the  sins  of  the  world,  while  the  lamb,  from  its 
proverbial  innocent  nature,  was  chosen  to  represent  the  inno- 
cency  of  the  victim  (the  God  offered  as  a propitiatory  sacrifice). 
And  thus  we  have  “the  Lamb  of  God  taking  away  the  sins  of 
the  world  ” — symbolical  language  used  with  respect  to  the 
offering  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  here  is  indicated  very  clearly 
the  origin  of  the  figure.  It  is  evidently  borrowed  from  the 
Druids.  We  have  the  statement  of  the  above  writer  that  this 
legend  was  found  amongst  the  Canutes  of  Gaul  long  before 
Jesus  Christ  was  known  to  history.  (See  Anac.  vol.  ii.  p.  130.) 

VII.  Quexalcote  of  Mexico  Crucified,  587  B.  C. 

Historical  authority,  relative  to  the  crucifixion  of  this  Mexi- 
can God,  and  to  his  execution  upon  the  cross  as  a propitiatory 
sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  mankind,  is  explicit,  unequivocal,  and  in- 
effaceable. The  evidence  is  tangible,  and  indelibly  engraven 
upon  steel  and  metal  plates.  One  of  these  plates  represents 
him  as  having  been  crucified  on  a mountain  ; another  represents 
him  as  having  been  crucified  in  the  heavens,  as  St.  Justin  tells 
us  Christ  was.  According  to  another  writer,  he  is  sometimes 
represented  as  having  been  nailed  to  a cross,  and  by  other 
accounts  as  hanging  with  a cross  in  his  hand.  The  “ Mexican 
Antiquities”  (vol.  vi.  p.  166)  says,  “Quexalcote  is  represented 
in  the  paintings  of  4 Codex  Borgianus 5 as  nailed  to  the  cross.” 
Sometimes  two  thieves  are  represented  as  having  been  crucified 
with  him.  That  the  advent  of  this  crucified  Savior  and  Mexi- 
can God  was  long  anterior  to  the  era  of  Christ,  is  admitted  by 
Christian  writers,  as  we  have  shown  elsewhere.  In  the  work 


no 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


above  named,  “ Codex  Borgianus,”  maybe  found  the  account,  not 
only  of  his  crucifixion,  but  of  his  death,  burial,  descent  into  hell, 
and  resurrection  on  the  third  day.  And  another  work,  entitled 
“ Codex  Vaticanus,”  contains  the  story  of  his  immaculate  birth 
by  a virgin  mother  by  the  name  of  Chimalman.  Many  other 
incidences  are  found  related  of  him  in  his  sacred  biography,  in 
which  we  find  the  most  striking  counterparts  to  the  more 
modern  gospel  story  of  Jesus  Christ,  such  as  his  forty  days’ 
temptation,  and  fasting,  his  riding  on  an  ass,  his  purifica- 
tion in  the  temple,  his  baptism  and  regeneration  by  water,  his 
forgiving  of  sins,  being  anointed  with  oil,  &c.  “All  these 
things,  and  many  more,  found  related  of  this  Mexican  God  in 
their  sacred  books,”  says  Lord  Kingsborough  (a  Christian 
writer)  “ are  curious  and  mysterious.”  (See  the  books  above 
cited.) 

VIII.  Quirinus  of  Rome  Crucified,  506  B.  C. 

The  crucifixion  of  this  Roman  Savior  is  briefly  noticed  by 
Mr.  Higgins,  and  is  remarkable  for  presenting  (like  other  cruci- 
fied Gods)  several  parallel  features  to  that  of  the  Judean  Savior, 
not  only  in  the  circumstances  related  as  attending  his  crucifix- 
ion, but  also  in  a considerable  portion  of  his  antecedent  life. 
He  is  represented,  like  Christ,  — 

1.  As  having  been  conceived  and  brought  forth  by  a virgin. 

2.  His  life  was  sought  by  the  reigning  king  (Amulius). 

3.  He  was  of  royal  blood,  his  mother  being  of  kingly  de- 
scent. 

4.  He  was  “put  to  death  by  wicked  hands”  — i.  e.,  cru- 
cified. 

5.  At  his  mortal  exit  the  whole  earth  is  said  to  have  been 
enveloped  in  darkness,  as  in  the  cases  of  Christ,  Chrishna,  and 
Prometheus. 

6.  And  finally  he  is  resurrected,  and  ascends  back  to  heaven. 

IX.  ( JEschylus)  Prometheus  Crucified,  547  B.  C. 

In  the  account  of  the  crucifixion  of  Prometheus  of  Caucasus, 


SIXTEEN  CRUCIFIED  SAVIORS. 


Ill 


as  furnished  by  Seneca,  Hesiod,  and  other  writers,  it  is  stated, 
that  he  was  nailed  to  an  upright  beam  of  timber,  to  which  were 
affixed  extended  arms  of  wood,  and  that  this  cross  was  situated 
near  the  Caspian  Straits.  The  modern  story  of  this  crucified 
God,  which  represents  him  as  having  been  bound  to  a rock  for 
thirty  years,  while  vultures  preyed  upon  his  vitals,  Mr.  Higgins 
pronounces  an  impious  Christian  fraud.  “ For,”  says  this 
learned  historical  writer,  “I  have  seen  the  account  which  de- 
clares he  was  nailed  to  a cross  with  hammer  and  nails.”  (Anac. 
vol.  i.  827.)  Confirmatory  of  this  statement  is  the  declaration 
of  Mr.  Southwell,  that  “ he  exposed  himself  to  the  wrath  of 
God  in  his  zeal  to  save  mankind.”  The  poet,  in  portraying  his 
propitiatory  offering,  says,  — 

“ Lo,  streaming  from  the  fatal  tree 
His  all-atoning  blood, 

Is  this  the  Infinite ; yes,  ’tis  he, 

Prometheus,  and  a God. 

“Well  might  the  sun  in  darkness  hide, 

And  veil  his  glories  in, 

When  God,  the  great  Prometheus,  died 
Por  man  the  creature's  sin.” 

The  “New  American  Cyclopedia”  (vol.  i.  p.  157)  contains 
the  following  significant  declaration  relative  to  this  sin-atoning, 
oriental  Savior : “ It  is  doubtful  whether  there  is  to  be  found 
in  the  whole  range  of  Greek  letters  deeper  pathos  than  that 
of  the  divine  woe  of  the  beneficent  demigod  Prometheus,  cru- 
cified on  his  Scythian  crags  for  his  love  to  mortals.”  Here  we 
have  first-class  authority  for  the  truth  of  the  crucifixion  of  this 
oriental  God. 

In  Lempriere’s  “ Classical  Dictionary,”  Higgins’  “ Anacalyp- 
eis,”  and  other  works,  may  be  found  the  following  particulars 
relative  to  the  final  exit  of  the  God  above  named,  viz.:  — 

1.  That  the  whole  frame  of  nature  became  convulsed. 

2.  The  earth  shook,  the  rocks  were  rent,  the  graves  were 
opened,  and  in  a storm,  which  seemed  to  threaten  the  disso- 
lution of  the  universe,  the  solemn  scene  forever  closed,  and 
“ Our  Lord  and  Savior”  Prometheus  gave  up  the  ghost.  “The 


112 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


cause  for  which  he  suffered,”  says  Mr.  Southwell,  “ was  his  love 
for  the  human  race.”  Mr.  Taylor  makes  the  statement  in  his 
Syntagma  (p.  95),  that  the  whole  story  of  Prometheus’  cruci- 
fixion, burial,  and  resurrection  was  acted  in  pantomime  in 
Athens  five  hundred  years  before  Christ,  which  proves  its  great 
antiquity.  Minutius  Felix,  one  of  the  most  popular  Christian 
writers  of  the  second  century  (in  his  “ Octavius,”  sect.  29),  thus 
addresses  the  people  of  Rome:  “Your  victorious  trophies  not 
only  represent  a simple  cross,  but  a cross  with  a man  on  it,” 
and  this  man  St.  Jerome  calls  a God.  These  coincidences 
furnish  still  further  proof  that  the  tradition  of  the  crucifixion 
of  Gods  has  been  very  long  prevalent  among  the  heathen. 

X.  Crucifixion  of  Thulis  of  Egypt,  1700  B.  C. 

Thulis  of  Egypt,  whence  comes  “ Ultima  Thule,”  died  the 
death  of  the  cross  about  thirty -five  hundred  years  ago. 
Ultima  Thule  was  the  island  which  marked  the  ultimate  bounds 
of  the  extensive  empire  of  this  legitimate  descendant  of  the 
Gods.  This  Egyptian  Savior  appears  also  to  have  been  known 
as  Zulis,  and  with  this  name  Mr.  Wilkison  tells  us,  “his  his- 
tory is  curiously  illustrated  in  the  sculptures,  made  seventeen 
hundred  years  B.  C.,  of  a small,  retired  chamber  lying  nearly 
over  the  western  adytum  of  the  temple.”  We  are  told  twenty- 
eight  lotus  plants  near  his  grave  indicate  the  number  of  years 
he  lived  on  the  earth.  After  suffering  a violent  death,  he  was 
buried,  but  rose  again,  ascended  into  heaven,  and  there  became 
“the  judge  of  the  dead,”  or  of  souls  in  a future  state.  Wilki- 
son says  he  came  down  from  heaven  to  benefit  mankind,  and 
that  he  was  said  to  be  “ full  of  grace  and  truth.” 

XI.  Crucifixion  of  Indra  of  Thibet,  725  B.  C. 

The  account  of  the  crucifixion  of  the  God  and  Savior  Indra 
may  be  found  in  Georgius,  Thibetinum  Alphabetum,  p.  230. 
A brief  notice  of  the  case  is  all  we  have  space  for  here.  In  the 
work  just  referred  to  may  be  found  plates  representing  this 
Thibetan  Savior  as  having  been  nailed  to  the  cross.  There 


SIXTEEN  CRUCIFIED  SAVIORS. 


m 


are  five  wounds,  representing  the  nail-holes  and  the  piercing  of 
the  side.  The  antiquity  of  the  story  is  beyond  dispute.  Mar- 
velous stories  were  told  of  the  birth  of  the  Divine  Redeemer. 
His  mother  was  a virgin  of  black  complexion,  and  hence  his 
complexion  was  of  the  ebony  hue,  as  in  the  case  of  Christ  and 
some  other  sin-atoning  Saviors.  He  descended  from  heaven  on 
a mission  of  benevolence,  and  ascended  back  to  the  heavenly 
mansion  after  his  crucifixion.  He  led  a life  of  strict  celibacy, 
which,  he  taught,  was  essential  to  true  holiness.  He  inculcated 
great  tenderness  towards  all  living  beings.  He  could  walk 
upon  the  water  or  upon  the  air;  could  foretell  future  events 
with  great  accuracy.  He  practiced  the  most  devout  contempla- 
tion, severe  discipline  of  the  body  and  mind,  and  acquired  the 
most  complete  subjection  of  his  passions.  He  was  worshiped 
as  a God  who  had  existed  as  a spirit  from  all  eternity,  and 
uis  followers  were  called  “ Heavenly  Teachers.” 

XII.  Alcestos  op  Euripides  Crucified,  600  B.  C. 

The  “English  Classical  Journal”  (vol.  xxxvii.)  furnishes  us 
with  the  story  of  another  crucified  God,  known  as  Alcestos  — 
a female  God  or  Goddess ; and  in  this  respect,  it  is  a novelty  in 
sacred  history,  being  the  first,  if  not  the  only,  example  of  a 
feminine  God  atoning  for  the  sins  of  the  world  upon  the  cross. 
The  doctrine  of  the  trinity  and  atonining  offering  for  sin  was 
inculcated  as  a part  of  her  religion. 

XIII.  Atys  of  Phrygia  Crucified,  1170  B.  C. 

Speaking  of  this  crucified  Messiah,  the  Anacalypsis  informs 
us  that  several  histories  are  given  of  him,  but  all  concur  in  rep- 
resenting him  as  having  been  an  atoning  offering  for  sin.  And 
the  Latin  phrase  “ suspensus  lingo,”  found  in  his  history,  indi- 
cates the  manner  of  his  death.  He  was  suspended  on  a tree, 
crucified,  buried,  and  rose  again. 

XIY.  Crite  of  Chaldea  Crucified,  1200  B.  C. 

The  Chaldeans,  as  Mr.  Higgins  informs  us,  have  noted  in 
their  sacred  books  the  account  of  the  crucifixion  of  a God  with 
8 


114 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


the  above  name.  He  was  also  known  as  “the  Redeemer,”  and 
was  styled  “the  Ever  Blessed  Son  of  God,”  “the  Savior  of  the 
Race,”  “the  Atoning  Offering  for  an  angry  God,”  &c.  And 
when  he  was  offered  up,  both  heaven  and  earth  were  shaken  to 
their  foundations. 

XV.  Bali  of  Orissa  Crucified,  725  B.  C. 

We  learn  by  the  oriental  books,  that  in  the  district  of  coun- 
try known  as  Orissa,  in  Asia,  they  have  the  story  of  a crucified 
God,  known  by  several  names,  including  the  above,  all  of  which, 
we  are  told,  signify  “ Lord  Second,”  having  reference  to  him 
as  the  second  person  or  second  member  of  the  trinity,  as  most 
of  the  crucified  Gods  occupied  that  position  in  the  triad  of  dei- 
ties constituting  the  trinity,  as  indicated  by  the  language 
“ Father,  Son , and  Holy  Ghost,”  — the  Son,  in  all  cases,  being 
the  atoning  offering,  “ the  Crucified  Redeemer,”  and  the  second 
person  of  the  trinity.  This  God  Bali  was  also  called  Baliu,  and 
sometimes  Bel.  The  Anacalypsis  informs  us  (vol.  i.  257)  that 
monuments  of  this  crucified  God,  bearing  great  age,  may  be 
found  amid  the  ruins  of  the  magnificent  city  of  Mahabalipore, 
partially  buried  amongst  the  figures  in  the  temple. 

XYI.  Mithra  of  Persia  Crucified,  600  B.  C. 

This  Persian  God,  according  to  Mr.  Higgins,  was  “slain  upon 
the  cross  to  make  atonement  for  mankind,  and  to  take  away 
the  sins  of  the  world.”  He  was  reputedly  born  on  the  twenty- 
fifth  day  of  December,  and  crucified  on  a tree.  It  is  a remark- 
able circumstance  that  two  Christian  writers  (Mr.  Faber  and 
Mr.  Bryant)  both  speak  of  his  “ being  slain,”  and  yet  both  omit 
to  speak  of  the  manner  in  which  he  was  put  to  death.  And  the 
same  policy  has  been  pursued  with  respect  to  other  crucified 
Gods  of  the  pagans,  as  we  have  shown  elsewhere. 

Our  list  is  full,  or  we  might  note  other  cases  of  crucifixion. 
Devatat  of  Siam,  Ixion  of  Rome,  Apollonius  of  Tyana  in  Cappa- 
docia, are  all  reported  in  history  a having  “died  the  death  of 


SIXTEEN  CRUCIFIED  SAVIORS. 


m 

the  cross  .”  Ixion,  400  B.  C.,  according  to  Nimrod,  was  ciuci- 
fied  on  a wheel,  the  rim  representing  the  world,  and  the  spokes 
constituting  the  cross.  It  is  declared,  “ He  bore  the  burden  of 
the  world  ” (that  is,  “ the  sins  of  the  world”)  on  his  back  while 
suspended  on  the  cross.  Hence  he  was  sometimes  called  “ the 
crucified  spirit  of  the  world.”  With  respect  to  Apollonius,  it 
is  a remarkable,  if  not  a suspicious  circumstance  that  should 
not  be  passed  unnoticed,  that  several  Christian  writers,  while 
they  recount  a long  list  of  miracles  and  remarkable  incidents 
in  the  life  of  this  Cappadocian  Savior,  extending  through  his 
whole  life,  and  forming  a parallel  to  similar  incidents  of  the 
Christian  Savior,  not  a word  is  said  about  his  crucifixion. 
And  a similar  policy  has  been  pursued  with  respect  to  Mithra 
and  other  sin-atoning  Gods,  including  Chrishna  and  Prometheus, 
as  before  noticed.  This  important  chapter  in  their  history  has 
been  omitted  by  Christian  writers  for  fear  the  relation  of  it 
would  damage  the  credibility  of  the  crucifixion  of  Christ,  or 
lessen  its  spiritual  force.  For,  like  Paul,  they  were  “ deter- 
mined to  know  nothing  but  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified” 
(1  Cor.  ii.  2),  i.  e.,  to  know  no  other  God  had  been  crucified  but 
Jesus  Christ . They  thus  exalted  the  tradition  of  the  crucifix- 
ion into  the  most  important  dogma  of  the  Christian  faith. 
Hence  their  efforts  to  conceal  from  the  public  a knowledge  of 
the  fact  that  it  is  of  pagan  origin. 

By  reference  to  Mackey’s  “ Lexicon  of  Freemasonry  ” (p.  35) 
we  learn  that  Freemasons  secretly  taught  the  doctrine  of  the 
crucifixion,  atonement,  and  resurrection  long  anterior  to  the 
Christian  era,  and  that  similar  doctrines  were  taught  in  “ all 
the  ancient  mysteries,”  thus  proving  that  the  conception  of  these 
tenets  of  faith  existed  at  a very  early  period  of  time. 

And  it  may  be  noted  here,  that  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by 
crucifixion  had  likewise,  with  mast  of  the  ancient  forms  of  re- 
ligious faith,  an  astronomical  representation — i.  e.,  a repre- 
sentation in  astronomical  symbols.  According  to  the  emblemat- 
ical figures  comprised  in  their  astral  worship,  people  were  saved 
by  the  sun’s  crucifixion  or  crossification,  realized  by  crossing 
over  the  equinoctial  line  into  the  season  of  spring,  apd  thereby 
gave  out  a saving  heat  and  light  to  the  world,  and  stimulated 


116 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


the  generative  organs  of  animal  and  veg(  table  life.  It  was 
from  this  conception  that  the  ancients  were  in  the  habit  of  carv* 
mg  or  painting  the  organs  of  generation  upon  the  walls  of 
their  holy  temples.  The  blood  of  the  grape,  which  was  ripened 
by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  as  he  crossed  over  by  resurrection  into 
spring  (i.  e.,  was  crucified),  was  symbolically  “the  blood  of  the 
cross,”  or  “ the  blood  of  the  Lamb.” 

If  we  should  be  met  here  with  the  statement,  that  the  stories 
of  the  ancient  crucifixions  of  Gods  were  mere  myths  or  fables, 
unwarrantably  saddled  on  to  their  histories  as  mere  romance, 
and  have  no  foundation  in  fact,  we  reply,  there  is  as  much 
ground  for  suspecting  the  same  thing  as  being  true  of  Jesus 
Christ.  One  of  the  most  celebrated  and  most  frequently 
quoted  Christian  writers  of  the  ancient  bishops  (Irenaeus)  de- 
clares upon  the  authority  of  the  martyr  Polycarp,  who  claimed 
to  have  got  it  from  St.  John  and  all  the  elders  of  Asia,  that  Jesus 
Christ  was  not  crucified,  but  lived  to  be  about  fifty  years  old. 
We  find  there  always  has  been  a margin  for  doubt  amongst  his 
own  followers  as  to  the  fact  of  his  crucifixion.  Many  of  the 
early  Christians,  and  cotemporary  Jews  and  Gentiles  doubted 
it,  and  some  openly  disputed  its  ever  having  taken  place. 
Others  bestowed  upon  it  a mere  spiritual  signification,  and  not 
a few  considered  it  symbolical  of  a “holy  life.”  One  circum- 
stance, calculated  to  lead  to  the  entire  discredit  of  the  story 
of  the  crucifixion  of  Christ,  is  the  relation,  in  connection  with 
it,  of  a violent  convulsion  of  nature,  and  the  resurrection  of  the 
long-buried  saints — events  not  supported  by  any  authentic 
cotemporaneous  history,  sacred  or  profane.  (See  Chap.  XVII., 
Aphanasia.)  And  as  these  events  must  be  set  down  as  fabu- 
lous, they  leave  the  mind  in  doubt  with  respect  to  the  fact  of 
the  crucifixion  itself,  especially  when  the  many  absurdities  in- 
volved in  the  doctrine  of  the  crucifixion  are  brought  to  view, 
in  connection  with  it,  some  of  them  so  palpably  erroneous,  that 
an  unlettered  savage  could  see  and  point  them  out.  The 
Indian  chief  Red  Jacket  is  reported  to  have  replied  to  the 
Christian  missionaries,  when  they  urged  upon  his  attention  the 
benefits  of  Christ’s  death  by  crucifixion,  “ Brethren,  if  you 
white  men  murdered  the  son  of  the  Great  Spirit,  we  Indians 


SIXTEEN  CRUCIFIED  SAVIORS . 


lii 


have  nothing  to  do  with  it,  and  it  is  none  of  our  affair.  If  he 
had  come  among  us,  we  would  not  have  killed  him.  We  would 
have  treated  him  well.  You  must  make  amends  for  that  crime 
yourselves.”  This  view  of  the  crucifixion  suggested  to  the  mind 
of  an  illiterate  heathen  we  deem  more  sensible  and  rational 
than  that  of  the  orthodox  Christians,  which  makes  it  a meri- 
torious act,  and  a moral  necessity.  For  this  would  not  only 
exonerate  Judas  from  any  criminality  or  guilt  for  the  part  he 
took  in  the  affair,  but  would  entitle  him  as  well  as  Christ  to 
the  honorable  title  of  a “ Savior  ” for  performing  an  act  with- 
out which  the  crucifixion  and  consequent  salvation  of  the  world 
could  not  have  been  effected.  If  it  was  necessary  for  Christ  to 
suffer  death  upon  the  cross  as  an  atonement  for  sin,  then  the 
act  of  crucifixion  was  right,  and  a monument  should  be  erected 
to  the  memory  of  Judas  for  bringing  it  about.  We  challenge 
Christian  logic  to  find  a flaw  in  this  argument.  And  another 
important  consideration  arises  here.  If  the  inhabitants  of  this 
planet  required  the  murderous  death  of  a God  as  an  atonement, 
we  must  presume  that  the  eighty-five  millions  of  inhabited 
worlds  recently  discovered  by  astronomers  are,  or  have  been,  in 
equal  need  of  a divine  atonement.  And  this  would  require 
the  crucifixion  of  eighty-five  millions  of  Gods.  Assuming 
one  of  these  Gods  to  be  crucified  every  minute,  the  whole 
would  occupy  a period  of  nearly  twenty  years.  This  would 
be  killing  off  Gods  at  rather  a rapid  rate,  and  would  make 
the  work  of  the  atonement  and  salvation  a very  murderous 
and  bloody  affair  — a conception  which  brings  to  the  mind  a 
series  of  very  revolting  reflections.  The  conception  of  Gods 
coming  down  from  heaven,  and  being  born  of  virgins,  and 
dying  a violent  death  for  the  moral  blunders  of  the  people, 
originated  in  an  age  of  the  world  when  man  was  a savage, 
and  dwelt  exclusively  upon  the  animal  plane,  and  blood  was 
the  requisition  for  every  offense.  And  it  was  an  age  when  no 
world  was  known  to  exist  but  the  one  we  inhabit.  The  stars 
Were  then  supposed  to  be  mere  blazing  tapers  set  in  the  azure 
vault  to  light  this  pygmy  planet,  or  peep-holes  for  Gods  to  look 
out  of  heaven,  to  see  and  learn  what  was  going  on  below. 
Such  conceptions  are  in  perfect  keeping  with  the  doctrine  of 


11S 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


the  atoning  crucifixion  of  Gods,  which  could  never  have  origi* 
nated  or  been  entertained  for  a moment  by  an  astronomer, 
with  a knowledge  of  the  existence  of  innumerable  inhabited 
worlds.  For  as  there  is  to  the  monotheistic  Christian  but  one 
God,  or  Son  of  God,  to  be  offered,  he  must  be  incarnated  and 
crucified  every  day  for  a thousand  years  to  make  a sin-offering 
for  each  of  these  worlds  — a conception  too  monstrous  and  pre- 
posterous to  find  a lodgment  in  a rational  mind. 

Origin  of  the  Belief  in  the  Crucifixion  of  Gods. 

It  had  always  been  presumed  that  death,  and  especially  death 
by  crucifixion,  involved  the  highest  state  of  suffering  possible 
to  be  endured  by  mortals.  Hence  the  Gods  must  suffer  in  this 
way  as  an  example  of  courage  and  fortitude,  and  to  show  them- 
selves willing  to  undergo  all  the  affliction  and  misery  incident 
to  the  lot,  and  unavoidable  to  the  lives,  of  their  devoted  wor- 
shipers. They  must  not  only  be  equal,  but  superior  to  their 
subjects  in  this  respect.  Hence  they  would  not  merely  die, 
but  choose,  or  at  least  uncomplainingly  submit  to,  the  most 
ignoble  and  ignominious  mode  of  suffering  death  that  could 
be  devised,  and  that  was  crucifixion.  This  gave  the  highest 
finishing  touch  to  the  drama.  And  thus  the  legend  of  the  cru- 
cifixion became  the  crowning  chapter,  the  aggrandizing  episode 
in  the  history  of  their  lives.  It  was  presumed  that  nothing  less 
than  a God  could  endure  such  excruciating  tortures  without 
complaining.  Hence,  when  the  victim  was  reported  to  have 
submitted  with  such  fortitude  that  no  murmur  was  heard  to 
issue  from  his  lips,  this  circumstance  of  itself  was  deemed  suffi- 
cient evidence  of  his  Godship.  The  story  of  the  crucifixion, 
therefore,  whether  true  or  false,  deified  or  helped. deify  many 
great  men,  and  exalt  them  to  the  rank  of  Gods.  Though  some 
of  the  disciples  of  Budhism,  and  some  of  the  primitive  profess- 
ors of  Christianity  also  (including,  according  to  Christian  his- 
tory, Peter  and  his  brother  Andrew),  voluntarily  chose  this 
mode  of  dying  in  imitation  of  their  crucified  Lord,  without  ex- 
periencing, however,  the  desired  promotion  to  divine  honors. 


SIXTEEN  CRUCIFIED  SAVIORS. 


110 


They  failed  of  an  exaltation  to  the  deityship,  and  hence  are 
not  now  worshiped  as  Gods.  Christian  reader,  what  can  you 
now  make  of  the  story  of  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus  Christ  but  a 
borrowed  legend — at  least  the  story  of  his  being  crucified  as 
a God? 

Note.  — The  author  desires  it  to  be  understood  with  respect  to  the  cases 
of  crucifixion  here  briefly  narrated,  that  they  are  not  vouched  for  as  ac- 
tual occurrences,  of  which  there  is  much  ground  to  doubt.  It  has  neither 
been  his  aim  or  his  desire  to  prove  them  to  be  real  historical  events,  nor 
to  establish  any  certain  number  of  cases.  Indeed,  he  deems  it  unimpor- 
tant to  know,  if  it  could  be  determined,  whether  they  are  fact  or  fiction, 
or  whether  one  God  was  crucified,  or  many.  The  moral  lesson  designed 
to  be  taught  by  this  chapter  is,  simply,  that  the  belief  in  the  crucifixion 
of  Gods  was  prevalent  m various  oriental  or  heathen  countries  long  prior 
to  the  reported  crucifixion  of  Christ.  If  this  point  is  established,  — which 
he  feels  certain  no  reader  will  dispute,  — then  he  is  not  concerned  to 
know  whether  he  has  made  out  sixteen  cases  of  crucifixion  or  not.  Six 
will  prove  it  as  well  as  sixteen.  In  fact,  one  case  is  sufficient  to  estab- 
lish the  important  proposition  in  view.  The  reader  is  therefore  left  to 
decide  each  case  for  himself,  according  as  he  may  value  the  evidence 
presented.  More  authorities  could  have  been  adduced,  and  a more  ex- 
tended history  presented  of  each  God  brought  to  notice.  But  this  would 
have  operated  to  exclude  other  matter,  which  the  author  considers  of 
more  importance. 


120 


THE  WORLD'S  SA  VIOLS. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE  APHANASIA,  OR  DARKNESS  AT  THE  CRU- 
CIFIXION. 

1.  Matthew  tells  us  (xxvii.  81)  that  when  Christ  was  cruci- 
fied, there  was  darkness  over  all  the  land  for  three  hours,  and 
“ the  earth  did  quake,  and  the  rocks  were  rent,  and  many  of 
the  saints  came  out  of  their  graves.”  Here  we  have  a series 
of  events  spoken  of  so  strange,  so  unusual,  and  so  extraordi- 
nary, that  had  they  occurred,  they  must  have  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  whole  world,  especially  the  amazing  scene  of 
the  sun’s  withdrawing  his  light,  and  ceasing  to  shine,  and 
thereby  causing  an  almost  total  darkness  near  the  middle  of 
the  day.  And  yet  no  writer  of  that  age  or  conntry,  or  any 
other  age  or  country,  mentions  the  circumstance  but  Matthew. 
A phenomenon  so  terrible  and  so  serious  in  its  effects  as  literally 
to  unhinge  the  planets  and  partially  disorganize  the  universe 
must  have  excited  the  alarm  and  amazement  of  the  whole 
world,  and  caused  a serious  disturbance  in  the  affairs  of  nations. 
And  yet  strange,  superlatively  strange,  not  one  of  the  numer- 
ous historians  of  that  age  makes  the  slightest  allusion  to  such 
an  astounding  event.  Even  Seneca  and  the  elder  Pliny,  wTho 
so  particularly  and  minutely  chronicle  the  events  of  those  times, 
are  as  silent  as  the  grave  relative  to  this  greatest  event  in  the 
history  of  the  world.  Nor  do  Mark,  Luke,  or  John,  who  all 
furnish  us  with  a history  of  the  crucifixion,  make  the  slightest 
hint  at  any  of  these  wonder-exciting  events,  except  Mark’s  in- 
cidental allusion  to  the  darkness.  Gibbon  says,  “ It  happened 
during  the  life  of  Seneca  and  the  elder  Pliny,  who  must  have 
experienced  its  immediate  effects,  or  received  the  earliest 


DARKNESS  AT  THE  CRUCIFIXION . 


121 


intelligence  of  the  prodigy.  Each  of  these  philosophers,  in 
a labored  work,  has  recorded  all  the  phenomena  of  Nature’s 
earthquakes,  meteors,  and  eclipses,  which  his  indefatigable 
curiosity  could  collect.  Both  the  one  and  the  other  have 
omitted  to  mention  the  greatest  phenomenon,  to  which  the 
mortal  eye  has  been  witness  since  the  creation  of  the  world. 
(Gibbon,  p.  451.) 

2.  With  reference  to  the  “bodies”  of  the  dead  saints  coming 
out  of  their  tombs  (for  it  is  declared  their  “ bodies  arose  ; see 
Matt,  xxvii.  52),  many  rather  curious  and  puzzling  questions 
might  be  started,  which  would  at  once  disclose  its  utter  absurd- 
ity. We  might  ask,  for  example, — 

1.  Who  were  those  “many  saints”  who  came  out  of  their 
graves,  seeing  there  were  as  yet  but  few  Christians  to  occupy 
graves,  if  they  had  been  all  dead,  as  the  enumeration  at  Antioch 
made  out  only  one  hundred  and  twenty  ? (See  Acts.)  2.  How 
long  had  they  lain  in  their  graves  ? 3.  How  long  since  their 

bodies  had  turned  to  dust,  and  been  food  for  worms?  4.  And 
would  not  those  worms  have  to  be  hunted  up  and  required  to 
disgorge  the  contents  of  their  stomachs  in  order  to  furnish  the 
saints  with  the  materials  for  their  bodies  again  ? 5.  And  were 

the  shrouds  or  grave  clothes  of  those  saints  also  resurrected  ? or 
did  they  travel  about  in  a state  of  nudity  ? 6.  For  what  pur- 

pose were  they  reanimated?  7.  And  should  not  Matthew  have 
furnished  us,  by  way  of  proof,  with  the  names  of  some  of  these 
ghostly  visitors  ? 8.  How  long  did  they  live  this  second  time? 

9.  Did  they  die  again,  or  did  they  ascend  to  heaven  with  their 
new-made  bodies?  10.  What  business  did  they  engage  in? 
11.  Why  have  we  not  some  account  of  what  they  said  and 
did  ? 12.  And  what  finally  became  of  them  ? Until  these  ques- 
tions are  rationally  answered,  the  story  must  be  regarded  as  too 
incredible  and  too  ludicrous  to  merit  serious  notice. 

3.  Nearly  all  the  phenomena  represented  as  occurring  at  the 
crucifixion  of  Christ  are  reported  to  have  been  witnessed  also  at 
the  final  exit  of  Senerus,  an  ancient  pagan  demigod,  who  figured 
in  history  at  a still  more  remote  period  of  time.  And  similar 
incidents  are  related  likewise  in  the  legendary  histories  of 


122 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


several  other  heathen  demigods  and  great  mer  partially  pro- 
moted to  the  honor  of  Gods.  In  the  time-honored  records  of  the 
oldest  religion  in  the  world,  it  is  declared,  “ A cloud  surround- 
ed the  moon ; and  the  sun  was  darkened  at  noonday,  and  the 
sky  rained  fire  and  ashes  during  the  crucifixion  of  the  Indian 
God  Chrishna.  In  the  case  of  Osiris  of  Egypt,  Mr.  Southwell 
says,  “As  his  birth  had  been  attended  by  an  eclipse  of  the  sun, 
so  his  death  was  attended  by  a still  greater  darkness  of  the 
solar  orb.”  At  the  critical  juncture  of  the  crucifixion  of  Prome- 
theus, it  is  declared,  “The  whole  frame  of  nature  became  con- 
vulsed, the  earth  shook,  the  rocks  were  rent,  the  graves  opened, 
and  in  a storm  which  threatened  the  disolution  of  the  universe, 
the  scene  closed.”  (Higgins.)  According  to  Livy,  the  last  hours 
of  the  mortal  demise  of  Romulus  were  marked  by  a storm  and 
by  a solar  eclipse.  And  similar  stories  are  furnished  us  by 
several  writers  of  Caesar  and  Alexander  the  Great.  With  re- 
spect to  the  latter,  Mr.  Nimrod  says,  “ Six  hours  of  darkness 
formed  his  aphanasia,  and  his  soul,  like  Polycarp’s,  was  seen  to 
fly  away  in  the  form  of  a dove.”  (Nimrod,  vol.  iii.  p.  458.) 
“It  is  remarkable,”  says  a writer,  “ what  a host  of  respectable 
authorities  vouch  for  an  acknowledged  fable  — the  preternatural 
darkness  which  followed  Caesar’s  death.”  Gibbon  alludes  to 
this  event  when  he  speaks  of  “ the  singular  defect  of  light 
which  followed  the  murder  of  Caesar.”  He  likewise  says, 
“This  season  of  darkness  had  already  been  celebrated  by  most 
of  the  poets  and  historians  of  that  memorable  age.”  (Gibbon, 
p.  452.)  It  is  very  remarkable  that  Pliny  speaks  of  a darkness 
attending  Caesar’s  death,  but  omits  to  mention  such  a scene  as 
attending  the  crucifixion  of  Christ.  Virgil  also  seeks  to  exalt 
this  royal  personage  by  relating  this  prodigy.  (See  his 
Georgius,  p.  465.)  Another  writer  says,  “ Similar  prodigies  were 
supposed  or  said  to  accompany  the  great  men  of  former  days.” 
Let  the  reader  make  a note  of  this  fact,  that  the  same  story  was 
told  of  the  graves  opening,  and  the  dead  rising  at  the  final 
mortal  exit  of  several  heathen  Gods  and  several  great  men  long 
before  it  was  penned  as  a chapter  in  the  history  of  Christ 
Shakespeare  in  his  Hamlet  says,  — 


DARKNESS  AT  THE  CRUCIFIXION . 


123 


“ In  the  most  high  and  palmy  days  of  Rome, 

A little  ere  the  mighty  Julius  fell, 

The  graves  stood  tenantless,  and  the  sheeted  dead 
Did  squeak  and  gibber  in  the  Roman  streets.” 

These  historical  citations  strongly  press  the  conclusion  that 
this  portion  of  the  history  of  Christ  was  borrowed  from  old 
pagan  legends. 

4.  Many  cases  are  recorded  in  history  of  the  light  of  the  sun 
being  obscured  at  midday  so  as  to  result  in  almost  total  dark- 
ness, when  it  was  known  not  to  be  produced  by  an  eclipse. 
And  it  is  probable  that  these  natural  events  furnish  the  basis 
in  part  for  those  wild  legends  we  have  brought  to  notice. 
Humboldt  relates  in  his  Cosmos,  that  “ in  the  year  858,  before 
the  earthquake  of  Numidia,  the  darkness  was  very  dense  for  two 
or  three  hours.”  Another  obscuration  of  the  sun  took  place 
in  the  year  860,  which  lasted  five  or  six  hours,  and  was  so  dense 
that  the  stars  were  visible  at  midday.  Another  circumstance 
of  this  kind  was  witnessed  on  the  19th  of  May,  1780,  which 
lasted  eight  hours.  And  so  great  was  the  darkness,  that  candles 
and  lamps  had  to  be  lighted  at  midday  to  dine  by.  Similar 
events  are  chronicled  for  the  years  1094,  1206,  1241,  1547, 
and  1780.  And  if  any  such  solar  obscurations  occurred  near 
the  mortal  exit  of  any  of  the  Gods  above  named,  of  course 
they  would  be  seized  on  as  a part  of  their  practical  history 
wrought  up  into  hyperbole,  and  interwoven  in  their  narratives, 
to  give  eclat  to  the  pageantry  of  their  biographies  — a fact 
which  helps  to  solve  the  mystery. 

Origin  of  the  Story  of  the  Aphanasia  at  the 
Crucifixion. 

There  is  but  little  ground  to  doubt  but  that  the  various 
stories  of  a similar  character  then  current  in  different  countries, 
as  shown  above,  first  suggested  the  thought  to  Christ’s  biog- 
raphers of  investing  his  history  with  the  incredible  events  re- 
ported as  being  connected  with  the  crucifixion.  The  principal 
motive,  however,  seems  to  have  grown  out  of  a desire  to  fulfill 


124 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


a prophecy  of  the  Jewish  prophet  Joel,  as  we  find  many  of  the 
important  miraculous  events  ingrafted  into  Christ’s  history 
were  recorded  by  way  of  fulfilling  some  prophecy.  “ That  the 
prophecy  might  be  fulfilled  ” is  the  very  language  his  evangeli- 
cal biographers  use.  Joel’s  prediction  runs  thus:  “ And  I will 
show  wonders  in  the  heavens,  and  in  the  earth,  flood  and  fire, 
and  pillars  of  smoke.  The  sun  shall  be  turned  into  darkness, 
and  the  moon  into  blood,  before  the  great  and  terrible  day  of 
the  Lord  come.”  (Joel  ii.  30.)  A little  impartial  investigation 
will  satisfy  any  unprejudiced  mind  that  this  poetic  rhapsody 
has  not  the  most  remote  allusion  to  the  closing  events  in  the 
life  of  Christ,  and  was  not  intended  to  have.  But  his  biog- 
raphers, writing  a long  time  after  his  death,  supposing  and 
assuming  that  this  and  various  other  texts,  which  they  quote 
from  the  prophets,  had  reference  to  him,  and  had  been  fulfilled, 
incorporated  it  into  his  history  as  a part  of  his  practical  life. 
The  conviction  that  the  prophecy  must  have  been  fulfilled,  with- 
out knowing  that  it  had,  added  to  similar  stories  of  other  Gods, 
with  which  Christ’s  history  became  confounded,  misled  them 
into  the  conclusion  that  they  were  warranted  in  assuming  that 
the  incredible  events  they  name  were  really  witnessed  at  the 
mortal  termination  of  Christ’s  earthly  career,  when  they  did 
not  know  it,  and  could  not  have  known  it.  This  view  of  the 
case  becomes  very  rational  and  very  forcible  when  we  observe 
various  texts  quoted  from  the  prophets  by  the  gospel  writers, 
or  rather  most  butcheringly  misquoted,  tortured  or  distorted  into 
Messianic  prophecies,  when  the  context  shows  they  have  no 
reference  to  Christ  whatever. 


DESCENT  OF  THE  SAVIORS  INTO  HELL,  125 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

DESCENT  OE  THE  SAVIORS  INTO  HELL. 

The  next  mosi  important  event  in  the  histories  of  the 
Saviors  after  their  crucifixion,  and  the  act  of  giving  up  the 
ghost,  is  that  of  their  descent  into  the  infernal  regions.  That 
Jesus  Christ  descended  into  hell  after  his  crucifixion  is  not 
expressly  taught  in  the  Christian  bible,  but  it  is  a matter  of 
such  obvious  inference  from  several  passages  of  scripture,  the 
early  Christians  taught  it  as  a scriptural  doctrine.  Mr.  Sears, 
a Christian  writer,  tells  us  that  “ on  the  doctrine  of  Christ’s 
underground  mission  the  early  Christians  were  united.  . . . 
It  was  a point  too  well  settled  to  admit  of  dispute.”  (See 
Foregleams  of  Immortality,  p.  262.)  And  besides  this  testi- 
mony, the  “ Apostles’  Creed  ” teaches  the  doctrine  explicitly, 
which  was  once  as  good  authority  throughout  Christendom  as 
the  bible  itself ; indeed,  it  may  be  considered  as  constituting  a 
part  of  the  bible  prior  to  the  council  of  Xice  (A.  D.  325),  being 
supposed  to  have  been  written  by  the  apostles  themselves.  It 
declares  that  “Jesus  Christ  suffered  under  Pontius  Pilate,  was 
crucified  (dead)  and  buried.  He  descended  into  hell ; the  third 
day  he  rose  again  from  the  dead,”  &c.  This  testimony  is  very 
explicit.  And  Peter  is  supposed  to  refer  to  the  same  event 
when  he  says,  “ being  put  to  death  in  the  flesh,  but  quickened 
by  the  spirit,  by  which  also  he  went  and  preached  unto  the 
spirits  in  prison.”  (1  Peter  iii.  18.)  The  word  prison,  which 
occurs  in  this  text,  has  undoubted  reference  to  the  Christian 
fabled  hell.  For  no  possible  sense  can  be  attached  to  the  word 
prison  in  this  connection  without  such  a construction.  Where 
have  spirits  ever  been  supposed  to  be  imprisoned  but  in  hell  ? 
And  then  we  find  a text  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  which 


126 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


seems  to  remove  all  doubt  in  the  case,  and  banishes  at  once  all 
ground  for  dispute.  It  is  explicitly  stated  that  “his  soul  was 
not  left  in  hell , neither  did  his  flesh  see  corruption.”  (Acts  ii. 
31.)  Why  talk  about  his  soul  not  being  left  in  hell  if  it  had 
never  been  there  ? Language  could  hardly  be  plainer.  The 
most  positive  declaration  that  Christ  did  descend  into  hell 
could  not  make  it  more  certainly  a scriptural  Christian  doctrine. 
We  then  rest  the  case  here,  and  proceed  to  enumerate  other 
cases  of  Gods  and  Saviors  descending  into  Pandemonium 
(the  realms  of  Pluto)  long  before  Jesus  Christ  walked  on 
the  water  or  on  the  earth.  It  is  unquestionably  stated  in  the 
Hindoo  bible,  written  more  than  three  thousand  years  ago, 
that  the  Savior  Chrishna  “went  down  to  hell  to  preach  to  the 
inmates  of  that  dark  and  dreary  prison,  with  the  view  of  re- 
forming them,  and  getting  them  back  to  heaven,  and  was  will- 
ing himself  to  suffer  to  abridge  the  period  of  their  torment.’’ 
And  certainly,  in  the  midst  of  the  fire  and  smoke  of  brimstone, 
it  could  not  have  been  hard  to  effect  their  conversion  or  repent- 
ance. One  writer  tells  us  that  “ so  great  was  his  (Chrishna’s) 
tenderness,  that  he  even  descended  into  hell  to  teach  souls  in 
bondage.”  Now  observe  how  much  “ teaching  souls  in  bon- 
dage ” sounds  like  “ preaching  to  souls  in  prison,”  as  Peter  rep- 
resents Christ  as  doing.  And  can  any  reader  doubt  that  the 
meaning  in  the  two  cases  is  the  same?  And  must  we  not  con- 
fess that  we  are  gratefully  indebted  to  the  Hindoo  bible  for  an 
explanation  of  the  two  occult  and  mysterious  texts  which  I 
have  quoted  from  the  Christian  bible,  and  which  have  puzzled 
so  many  learned  critics  to  explain,  or  find  a meaning  for?  We 
have  another  case  of  a God  descending  into  hell  in  the  per- 
son or  spirit  of  the  Savior  Quexalcote  of  .Mexico.  (300 
B.  C.)  The  story  will  be  found  in  the  Codex  Borgianus, 
wherein  is  related  the  account  of  his  death,  and  burial  after 
crucifixion,  his  descent  into  hell,  and  subsequent  resurrection. 
Of  Adonis  of  Greece  it  is  declared,  that  “ after  his  descent  into 
hell,  he  rose  again  to  life  and  immortality.”  Prometheus  of 
Caucasus  (600  B.  C.)  likewise  is  represented  as  “ suffering 
and  descending  into  hell,  rising  again  from  the  dead,  and 
ascending  to  heaven.”  Horus  of  Greece  is  described  as  “ first 


DESCENT  OF  THE  SAVIORS  INTO  HELL.  12? 


reigning  a thousand  years,  then  dying,  and  being  buried  for 
three  days,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  triumphed  over  Typhon, 
the  evil  principle,  and  rose  again  to  life  evermore.”  And 
Osiris  of  Egypt  also  is  represented  as  making  a descent  into 
hell,  and  after  a period  of  three  days  rose  again.  Homer  and 
Virgil  speak  of  several  cases  of  descent  into  Pluto’s  dominions. 
Hercules,  Ulysses,  and  JEneas  are  represented  as  performing  the 
hellward  journey  on,  as  we  infer,  benevolent  missions.  Hig- 
gins remarks,  “ The  Gods  became  incarnate,  and  descended  into 
hell  to  teach  humility  and  set  an  example  of  suffering.”  The 
story  of  their  descent  into  hell  was  doubtless  invented  to  find 
employment  for  them  during  their  three  days  of  hibernation  or 
conservation  in  the  tomb,  that  they  might  not  appear  to  be 
really  dead  nor  idle  in  the  time,  and  as  a still  further  proof  of 
their  matchless  and  unrivaled  capacity  and  fortitude  for  suffer- 
ing. And  the  story  of  the  three  days’  entombment  is  likewise 
clearly  traceable  in  appearance  to  the  astronomical  incident  of 
the  sun’s  lying  apparently  dead,  and  buried,  and  motionless,  for 
nearly  three  days  at  the  period  of  the  vernal  epoch,  from  the 
21st  to  the  25th  of  March.  It  was  a matter  of  belief  or  fancy, 
that  the  sun  remained  stationary  for  about  three  days,  when  he 
gradually  rose  again  “into  newness  of  life.”  And  hence  this 
period  or  era  was  chosen  to  figuratively  represent  the  three 
days’  descent  of  the  Gods  into  hell.  We  are  told  that  the  Per- 
sians have  an  ancient  astronomical  figure  representing  the  de- 
scent of  a God,  divine,  into  hell,  and  returning  at  the  time  that 
Orsus,  the  goddess  of  spring,  had  conquered  the  God  or  genus 
of  winter,  after  the  manner  St.  John  describes  the  Lamb  of  God 
(see  Rev.  xii.)  as  conquering  the  dragon,  which  may  be  inter- 
preted as  the  Scorpion  or  Dragon  of  the  first  month  of  winter 
(October)  being  conquered  by  the  Lamb  of  March  or  spring. 


128 


THE  WORLD  ’S  SA  VIORS. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

RESURRECTION  OF  THE  SAVIORS. 

We  find  presented  in  the  canonized  histories  of  several  of 
the  demigod  Saviors  the  following  remarkable  coincidences 
appertaining  to  their  death : — 

1.  Their  resurrection  from  the  dead. 

2.  Their  lying  in  the  tomb  just  three  days. 

8.  The  resurrection  of  several  of  them  about  the  time  of  the 
vernal  equinox. 

The  25th  of  March  is  the  period  assigned  by  the  Christian 
world  generally  for  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  though  some 
Christian  writers  have  assigned  other  dates  for  this  event. 
They  all  agree,  however,  that  Christ  rose  from  the  dead,  and 
that  this  ocrurred  three  days  after  the  entombment.  Bishop 
Theophilus  of  Cesarea  remarks,  relative  to  this  event,  “ Since 
the  birth  of  Christ  is  celebrated  on  the  25th  of  December,  . . . 
so  also  should  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  be  celebrated  on 
the  25th  of  March,  on  whatever  day  of  the  week  it  may  fall, 
the  Lord  having  risen  again  on  that  day.”  (Cent.  ii.  Call.  p.  118.) 
“All  the  ancient  Christians,”  says  a writer,  “ were  persuaded 
that  Christ  was  crucified  on  the  23d  of  March,  and  rose  from 
the  dead  on  the  25th.”  And  accordingly  Constantine  and 
cotemporary  Christians  celebrated  the  25th  of  March  with  great 
eclat  as  the  date  of  the  resurrection.  The  23d  and  25th,  in- 
cluding the  24th,  would  comprise  a period  of  three  days,  the 
time  of  the  entombment.  Now  mark,  Quexalcote  of  Mexico, 
Chris  of  Chaldea,  Quirinus  of  Rome,  Prometheus  of  Caucasus) 
Osiris  of  Egypt,  Atys  of  Phrygia,  and  “ Mithra  the  Mediator  ’ 
of  Persia,  did,  according  to  their  respective  histories,  rise  from 


RESURRECTION  OF  THE  SAVIORS . 


129 


the  dead  after  three  days’  burial,  and  the  time  of  their  resurrec 
tion  is  in  several  cases  fixed  for  the  25th  of  March.  And  there 
is  an  account  more  than  three  thousand  years  old  of  the  Hindoo 
crucified  Savior  Chrishna,  three  days  after  his  interment,  for- 
saking “the  silent  bourn,  whence  (as  we  are  told)  no  traveler 
ever  returns,”  and  laying  aside  the  moldy  cerements  of  the 
dead,  again  walking  forth  to  mortal  life,  to  be  again  seen,  recog- 
nized, admired,  and  adored  by  his  pious,  devout,  and  awe- 
stricken followers,  and  thus  present  to  the  gaze  of  a hoping  yet 
doubting  world  “the  first  fruits  of  the  resurrection.”  Of  Tham- 
muz  of  Syria  the  poet  says,  — 

“ Trust,  ye  saints,  your  God  restored ; 

Trust  ye  in  your  risen  Lord ; 

For  the  pains  which  Thammuz  endured 
Your  salvation  have  procured.” 

At  the  annual  celebration  of  the  resurrection  of  the  Persian 
Savior  “Mithra  the  Mediator,”  more  than  three  thousand  years 
ago,  the  priests  were  in  the  habit  of  exclaiming  in  a solemn  and 
loud  voice, “Cheer  up,  holy  mourners;  your  God  is  come  again 
to  life ; his  sorrows  and  his  sufferings  will  save  you.”  (See 
Pitrat,  p.  105.)  The  25th  of  March  was  with  the  ancient  Per- 
sians the  commencement  of  a new  year,  and  on  that  day  was 
celebrated  “the  feast  of  the  Neurone,”  and  by  the  ancient 
Romans  “ the  festival  of  the  Hilaria.”  And  we  find  the 
ancients  had  both  the  crucifixion  and  resurrection  of  a God 
symbolically  and  astronomically  represented  among  the  plants. 
“ Their  foundation,”  says  Clement  of  Alexandria,  “ was  the  ficti- 
tious death  and  resurrection  of  the  sun,  the  soul  of  the  world, 
the  principle  of  life  and  motion.”  The  inauguration  of  spring 
(the  25th  of  March),  and  the  summer  solstice  (the  25th  of  June)5 
were  both  important  periods  with  the  ancients.  Hence  the 
latter  period  was  fixed  on  as  the  birthday  of  John  the  Baptist 
(as  marked  in  the  almanacs),  w7hen  the  sun  begins  to  decline 
southward  — that  is,  decrease.  How  appropriately,  therefore, 
John  is  made  to  say,  “I  shall  decrease,  but  he  shall  increase.” 
And  the  consecrated  25th  of  March  is  also  the  day  marked  in 
our  calendars  as  the  date  of  the  conception  and  annunciation 
9 


180 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS 


of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary.  And  it  was,  likewise,  the  period 
of  the  conception  of  the  ancient  Roman  virgin  Asteria,  and  of 
the  ever-chaste  and  holy  virgin  Iris,  as  well  as  the  time  of  the 
conjugal  embrace  of  the  solar  and  lunar  potentates  of  the  visible 
universe.  May  we  not,  then,  very  appropriately  exclaim  of  re- 
ligion and  astronomy  “what  God  hath  joined  together,  let  no 
man  put  asunder.” 

Resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ. 

With  respect  to  the  physical  resurrection  of  the  Christian 
Savior,  it  may  be  observed  that,  aside  from  the  physical  impossi- 
bility of  such  an  occurrence,  the  account,  as  reported  to  us  by 
his  four  “ inspired  ” Gospel  biographers,  are  so  palpably  at  vari- 
ance with  each  other,  so  entirely  contradictory  in  their  reports,  as 
to  render  their  testimony  as  infallible  writers  utterly  unworthy  of 
credence,  and  impels  us  to  the  conclusion  that  the  event  is  both 
physically  and  historically  incredible.  There  is  scarcely  one 
incident  or  particular  in  which  they  all  agree.  They  are  at 
loggerheads,  1.  With  respect  to  the  time  of  its  discovery;  2. 
The  persons  who  made  the  discovery  (for  no  witness  claims  to 
have  seen  it)  ; 8.  With  respect  to  what  took  place  at  the  sepul- 
cher; 4.  What  Peter  saw  and  did  there;  5.  And  as  to  what 
occurred  afterward,  having  a relation  to  that  event. 

1.  Relative  to  the  time  the  witness  or  witnesses  visited  the 
sepulcher  and  learned  of  the  resurrection,  Matthew  (chap, 
xxviii.)  tells  us,  “It  was  at  the  end  of  the  Sabbath,  as  it  began 
to  dawn ; ” but  according  to  Mark  (xvi.),  the  Sabbath  was  past, 
and  the  sun  was  rising;  while  John  (chap,  xx.)  declares  it  was 
yet  dark.  N ow  there  is  certainly  some  difference  between  the 
three  periods,  “ the  dawning  of  the  day,”  “ the  rising  of  the  sun,” 
and  “ the  darkness  of  night.”  If  the  writers  were  divinely  in- 
spired, there  would  be  a perfect  agreement. 

2.  With  respect  to  the  persons  who  first  visited  the  sepul 
cher,  Matthew  states  that  it  was  Mary  Magdalene  and  anothei 
Mary  ; but  Luke  says  it  was  “ Mary  Magdalene  and  Joanna,  and 
Mary  the  mother  of  James,  and  other  women  ; ” while,  according 
to  John  (and  he  virtually  reiterates  it),  Mary  Magdalene  went 


RESURRECTION  OF  THE  SAVIORS . 


131 


alone.  It  will  be  observed,  then,  that  the  first  “inspired”  and 
“ infallible  ” witness  testifies  there  were  two  women  ; the  second 
that  there  were  four ; and  the  third  witness  declares  there  was 
but  one.  What  beautiful  harmony.  No  court  in  the  civilized 
world  would  accept  such  discordant  testimony. 

3.  And  in  relation  to  what  took  place  at  the  tomb,  Matthew 
testifies  that  “ the  angel  of  the  Lord  ” sat  upon  a stone  at  the 
door  of  the  sepulcher,  and  told  the  women  their  Lord  was 
risen.  But  Luke  steps  forward  here,  and  aveizs  that  instead  of 
an  angel  they  found  two  men  there,  not  outside , but  inside,  and 
not  sitting,  but  standing.  But  Mark  sets  the  testimony  of  both 
these  “ inspired  ” witnesses  aside  by  affirming  there  was  but 
one  man  there,  and  he  was  sitting.  While  Matthew  says  “they,” 
St.John  says  “she”  (speaking  of  the  person  or  persons  who 
left  the  sepulcher.)  According  to  Matthew  the  angel  who 
rolled  away  the  stone  from  the  sepulcher  sent  a message  to  the 
disciples.  But  Mark  affirms  it  was  not  an  “ angel”  outside, 
but  a “young  man”  inside,  who  did  this.  And  here  the  ques 
tion  naturally  arises,  Why  was  it  necessary  for  a being  who 
could  say,  “ I have  power  to  lay  down  my  life  and  take  it  up 
again  ” (John),  to  have  an  angel  to  roll  away  the  stone  from 
the  sepulcher.  Certainly,  if  he  possessed  such  omnipotent 
power,  he  needed  no  aid  from  any  being  to  perform  such  an  act. 

4.  And  relative  to  Peter’s  visit  to  the  tomb,  there  is  a total 
disparity  in  the  testimony  of  the  witnesses.  According  to 
Luke,  he  did  not  go  into  the  sepulcher,  but  only  stooped  down 
and  looked  in.  But  Mark  affirms  he  did  go  in,  and  that  it  was 
the  disciple  who  went  with  him  who  stooped  down. 

5.  And  with  respect  to  the  events  which  occurred  immedi- 
ately subsequent  to  the  resurrection,  there  is  no  less  discre- 
pancy, no  nearer  agreement,  in  the  testimony  of  the  evangelical 
witnesses.  Matthew  says  that  when  Christ’s  disciples  first  met 
him  after  the  resurrection,  they  worshiped  him,  and  held  him 
by  the  feet.  (Matt,  xxviii.  9.)  Strange,  indeed,  and  wholly  in- 
credible, if  John  is  a reliable  witness,  for  he  affirms  he  did  not 
allow  even  his  best  and  dearest  friend  (Mary)  to  touch  him. 
And  then  John  combats  this  testimony  of  his  by  declaring 
lie  invited  the  skeptical  Thomas,  not  only  to  touch  him,  but  to 
thrust  his  hand  into  his  side  for  tangible  proof  of  his  identity. 


132 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS: 


6.  And  why,  let  us  ask  here,  was  not  the  skeptical  Thomas 
damned  for  his  doubting,  when  we,  who  live  thousands  of  miles 
from  the  place,  and  nearly  two  thousand  years  from  the  time,  are 
often  told  by  the  priesthood  we  must  “ believe  or  be  damned  ” ? 

7.  And  if  Thomas  was  really  convinced  by  this  occurrence 
or  if  it  ever  took  place,  why  have  we  no  account  of  his  subse- 
quent life  ? What  good  was  effected  by  his  convincement  if 
he  never  said  or  did  anything  afterward  ? 

8.  John  tells  us  Mary  first  saw  Christ,  after  his  resurrection, 
at  the  tomb,  but  Matthew  says  it  was  on  her  way  home  she  first 
saw  him. 

9.  We  are  told  by  Luke  (xxiv.  36)  that  when  Christ  ap- 
peared to  his  disciples  on  a certain  occasion*,  they  were  fright- 
ened, supposing  it  to  be  a spirit.  But  John  (xx.  20)  says  they 
were  glad.  Which  must  we  believe  ? 

10.  According  to  Matthew,  the  disciples  were  all  present  on 
this  occasion  ; but  according  to  John,  Thomas  was  not  there. 

11.  Here  let  it  be  noted  that  none  of  the  narrators  claim  to 
have  seen  Christ  rise  from  the  tomb,  nor  to  have  got  it  from 
anybody  who  did  see  it.  The  only  proof  in  this  case  is  their 
declaration,  u It  came  to  pass.” 

12.  And  we  are  prompted  to  ask  here,  how  “ it  came  to 
pass  ” that  the  chief  priests  and  pharisees  cherished  sufficient 
faith  in  Christ’s  resurrection  to  set  a watch  for  it,  as  Matthew 
reports,  when  his  own  disciples  were  too  faithless  in  such  an 
event  to  be  present,  or  to  believe  he  had  risen  after  the  report 
reached  their  ears  ; for  we  are  told  some  doubted.  (See  Matt, 
xxviii.) 

13.  And  how  came  Matthew  to  know  the  soldiers  were 
bribed  to  say  Christ’s  body  was  stolen  away  by  his  disciples, 
when  the  disclosures  of  such  a secret  would  have  been  death 
under  the  Roman  government. 

14.  And  their  confession  of  being  asleep,  as  related  by  Mat- 
thew, would  have  subjected  them  to  the  same  fatal  penalty  by 
the  civil  rulers  of  Rome. 

15.  And  if*  the  soldiers  were  all  asleep,  can  we  not  suggest 
several  ways  the  body  may  have  disappeared  without  being 
restored  to  life  ? 


RESURRECTION  OF  THE  SAVIORS. 


135 


16.  And  here  we  would  ask  if  Christ  rose  Pom  the  dead  in 
order  to  convince  the  world  of  his  divine  power,  why  did  not 
the  event  take  place  in  public  ? Why  was  it  seen  only  by  a 
few  credulous  and  interested  disciples? 

17.  And  if  such  an  astonishing  and  miraculous  event  did 
occur,  why  does  not  one  of  the  numerous  cotemporary  writers 
of  those  times  make  any  allusion  to  it?  Neither  Pliny,  Taci- 
tus, nor  Josephus,  who  detail  the  events  very  minutely,  not 
only  of  those  times,  but  of  that  very  country,  says  a word  about 
such  a wonder-exciting  occurrence.  This  fact  of  itself  entirely 
overthrows  the  credibility  of  the  story. 

18.  And  the  fact  that  several  Christian  sects,  which  flourished 
near  those  times,  as  the  Corinthians  and  Carpocratians,  &c., 
rejected  the  story  in  toto,  furnishes  another  powerful  argument 
for  discrediting  it. 

19.  And  then  add  to  this  the  fact  that  his  own  chosen  fol- 
lowers were  upbraided  for  their  unbelief  in  the  matter. 

20.  And  what  was  Christ  doing  during  the  forty  days  between 
his  resurrection  and  ascension,  that  he  should  only  be  seen  a 
few  times,  and  but  a few  minutes  at  a time,  and  by  but  a few 
persons,  and  those  interested  ? 

21.  And  we  would  ask,  likewise,  What  more  can  be  proved 
by  Christ’s  physical  resurrection  than  that  of  the  resurrection 
of  Lazarus,  the  widow’s  son,  and  several  cases  related  in  the 
Old  Testament,  or  the  numerous  cases  reported  in  oriental  his- 
tory  ? 

22.  And  what  analogy  is  there  in  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead  body  of  a perfect  self-existent  God  and  that  of  vile 
man  ? 

23.  And  why  should  Christ  be  called  “the  first  fruits  of  the 
resurrection,”  when  so  many  cases  are  reported  as  occurring 
before  his? 

24.  And  why  do  Christians  build  their  hopes  of  immortality 
almost  entirely  upon  Christ’s  alleged  resurrection,  in  view  of 
the  numerous  facts  we  have  cited  showing  it  to  be  a mere 
sandy  foundation  ? 

25.  Of  course  no  person  who  believes  in  modern  Spiritualism 
will  discredit  the  story  of  Christ  being  visually  recognized 


131 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


after  his  death  as  a spirit  — for  they  have  ocular  proof  that 
many  such  cases  have  occurred  within  the  last  decade  of 
years.  But  it  is  the  story  of  his  physical  resurrection  we  are 
combating  — the  reanimation  of  his  flesh  and  bones  after  hav- 
ing been  subjected  for  three  days  to  the  laws  of  decomposition. 
Neither  science  nor  sense  can  indorse  such  a story. 

26.  It  was  a very  easy  matter,  and  very  natural  to  mistake 
Christ’s  spiritual  body  for  his  physical  body ; for  such  mis- 
takes have  been  made  a thousand  times  in  the  world’s  history. 

27.  Is  it  not  strange,  in  view  of  the  countless  defects  in  the 
story  of  Christ’s  physical  resurrection  as  enumerated  above, 
that  the  orthodox  Christian  world  should  rely  upon  it  as  the 
great  sheet-anchor  of  their  faith,  and  as  their  chief  and  almost 
their  only  hope  of  immortal  life  ? 


REAPPEARANCE  OF  THE  SAVIORS . 


135 


CHAPTER  XX. 

REAPPEARANCE  AND  ASCENSION  OE  THE 
SAVIORS. 

Many  cases  are  related  by  their  respective  sacred  narratives 
of  the  ancient  Saviors,  and  other  beings  possessing  the  form  of 
man,  and  previously  recognized  as  men  reappearing  to  their  dis- 
ciples and  friends,  after  having  been  consigned  to  the  tomb  for 
three  days,  or  a longer  or  shorter  period  of  time,  and  of  their 
final  ascension  to  the  house  of  many  mansions.  It  is  related  of 
the  Indian  or  Hindoo  Savior  Chrishna,  that  after  having  risen 
from  the  dead,  he  appeared  again  to  his  disciples.  “ He 
ascended  to  Yoiacantha  (heaven),  to  Brahma,”  the  first  person 
of  the  trinity  (he  himself  being  the  second),  and  that  as  he 
ascended,  “all  men  saw  him,  and  exclaimed,  c Lo,  Chrishna’s 
soul  ascends  its  native  skies.’  ” And  it  is  further  related  that, 
u attended  by  celestial  spirits,  ...  he  pursued  by  his  own 
light  the  journey  between  earth  and  heaven,  to  the  bright 
paradise  whence  he  had  descended.”  Of  the  ninth  incarnation 
of  India,  the  Savior  Sakia,  it  is  declared,  that  he  “ ascended  to 
the  celestial  regions ; ” and  his  pious  and  devout  disciples  point 
the  skeptic  to  indelible  impressions  and  ineffaceable  footprints 
on  the  rocks  of  a high  mountain  as  an  imperishable  proof  of  the 
declaration  that  he  took  his  last  leave  of  earth  and  made  his 
ascent  from  that  point. 

It  is  related  of  the  crucified  Prometheus,  likewise,  that  after 
having  given  up  the  ghost  on  the  cross,  “ descended  to  hell  ” 
(Christ’s  soul  was  “not  left  in  hell,”  see  Acts  ii.  81),  “he  rose 
again  from  the  dead,  and  ascended  into  heaven.”  And  then  it 
is  declared  of  the  Egyptian  Savior  Alcides,  that  “ after  having 


136 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


been  seen  a number  of  times,  he  ascended  to  a higher  life,” 
going  up,  like  Elijah,  in  “ a chariot  of  fire  ; ” and  the  story  of  the 
crucifixion  of  Quexalcote  of  Mexico,  followed  by  his  burial, 
resurrection,  and  ascension,  is  distinctly  related  in  the  “ holy  ” 
and  inspired  “ gospels  of  that  country,  which  Lord  Kingsborough 
admitted  to  be  more  than  two  thousand  years  old.  Of  Laotsi 
of  China,  it  is  said  that  when  “he  had  completed  his  mission 
of  benevolence,  he  ascended  bodily  alive  into  the  paradise 
above.”  (Prog,  of  Rel.  Ideas,  vol.  i.  214.)  And  it  is  related 
of  Fo  of  the  same  country,  that  having  completed  his  glorious 
mission  on  earth,  he  “ ascended  back  to  paradise,  where  he  had 
previously  existed  from  all  eternity.”  It  is  related  also  in  the 
ancient  legends,  that  the  Savior  or  God  Xamalxis  of  Thrace, 
having  died,  and  descended  beneath  the  earth,  and  remained 
there  three  years,  made  his  appearance  again  in  the  fourth  year 
after  his  death,  as  he  had  previously  foretold,  and  eventually 
ascended  to  heaven  about  600  B.  C.  Even  some  of  the  Hindoo 
saints  are  reported  in  their  u holy  ” and  time-honored  books  to 
have  been  seen  ascending  to  heaven.  “ And  impressions  on 
the  rocks  are  shown,”  says  an  author,  “ said  to  be  of  footprints 
they  left  when  they  ascended.” 

It  is  related  both  by  the  Grecian  biographer  Plutarch,  in  his 
life  of  Romulus,  and  by  a Roman  historian,  that  the  great 
founder  of  Rome  (Romulus)  suddenly  ascended  in  a tempest 
during  a solar  eclipse,  about  713  B.  C.  And  Julius  Proculus,  a 
Roman  senator  of  great  fame  and  high  reputation,  declared, 
under  solemn  oath,  that  he  saw  him,  and  talked  with  him  after 
his  death. 


Astronomical  Version  of  the  Story. 

Before  dismissing  this  chapter,  we  may  state  that,  in  common 
Ivith  most  other  religious  conceptions,  the  doctrine  of  the 
ascension  has  in  the  ancient  legends  an  astronomical  represen- 
tation. 

Having  said  that  a planet  was  buried  because  it  sunk  below 
the  horizon,  when  it  returned  to  light  and  gained  its  state  of 
eminence,  they  spoke  of  it  as  dead,  risen  again,  and  ascended 


REAPPEARANCE  OF  THE  SAVIORS . 


137 


into  heaven.  (Volney,  p.  143.)  What  is  the  story  of  the  ascen- 
sion of  Christ  worth  in  view  of  these  ancient  pagan  tradiiions 
of  earlier  origin  ? 

Ascension  of  the  Christian  Savior. 

1.  The  different  scriptural  accounts  of  the  ascension  of  Christ 
are,  like  the  different  stories  of  the  resurrection,  quite  con- 
tradictory, and  hence  entitled  to  as  little  credit.  In  Luke 
(xxiv.)  he  is  represented  as  ascending  on  the  evening  of  the 
third  day  after  the  crucifixion.  But  the  writer  of  Acts  (i.  3) 
says  he  did  not  ascend  till  forty  days  after  his  resurrection  ; 
while,  according  to  his  own  declaration  to  the  thief  on  the  cross, 
“ This  day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise,”  he  must  have 
ascended  on  the  same  day  of  his  crucifixion.  Which  statement 
must  we  accept  as  inspired,  or  what  is  proved  by  such  contra- 
dictory testimony? 

2.  Which  must  we  believe,  Paul’s  declaration  that  he  was 
seen  by  above  fivehundred  of  the  brethren  at  once  (1  Cor.  xv. 
6),  or  the  statement  of  the  author  of  the  Acts  (i.  15),  that  there 
were  but  one  hundred  and  twenty  brethren  in  all  after  that 
period  ? 

3.  How  would  his  ascension  do  anything  toward  proving 
his  divinity,  unless  it  also  proves  the  divinity  of  Enoch  and 
Elijah,  who  are  reported  to  have  ascended  long  prior  to  that 
era  ? 

4.  As  these  stories  of  the  ascension  of  Christ,  according  to 
Lardner,  were  written  many  years  after  his  crucifixion,  is  it  not 
hence  probable  they  grew  out  of  similar  stories  relative  to  the 
heathen  Gods  long  previously  prevalent  in  oriental  countries  ? 

5.  As  these  gospel  writers  could  not  have  been  present  to  wit- 
ness the  ascension,  as  it  must  have  occurred  before  their  time 
of  active  life,  does  not  this  fact  of  itself  seriously  damage  the 
credibility  of  the  accounts,  and  more  especially  as  neither  Mark 
nor  Luke,  who  are  the  only  reporters  of  the  occurrence,  were  not 
disciples  of  Christ  at  the  time,  while  Matthew  and  John,  who 
were,  say  nothing  about  it  ? — another  fact  which  casts  a shade 
on  the  credibility  of  the  story. 


138 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


CHAPTER  XXL 

THE  ATONEMENT:  ITS  ORIENTAL  OR  HEATHEN 

ORIGIN. 

There  were  various  practices  in  vogue  amongst  the  orien- 
talists, which  originated  with  the  design  of  appeasing  the  anger, 
and  propitiating  the  favor  of  a presumed  to  be  irascible  deity. 
Most  of  these  practices  consisted  in  some  kind  of  sacrifice  or 
destructive  offering  called  the  “ atonement.”  But  here  let  it 
be  observed,  that  the  doctrine  of  atonement  for  sin,  by  sacrifice, 
was  unfolded  by  degrees,  and  that  the  crucifixion  of  a God  was 
not  the  first  practical  exhibition  of  it.  On  the  contrary,  it 
appears  to  have  commenced  with  the  most  valueless  or  cheap- 
est species  of  property  then  known ; and  from  this  starting- 
point  ascended  gradually,  so  as  finally  to  embody  the  most 
costly  commodities;  and  did  not  stop  here,  but  reached  for- 
ward till  it  laid  its  murderous  hands  on  human  beings,  and 
immolated  them  upon  its  bloody  altars.  And  finally,  to  cap 
the  climax,  it  assumed  the  effrontery  to  drag  a God  off  the 
throne  of  heaven,  to  stanch  its  bloodthirsty  spirit,  as  evinced 
by  Paul’s  declaration,  “ Without  the  shedding  of  blood  there 
can  be  no  remission  of  sin.”  Rather  a bloody  doctrine,  and 
one  which  our  humanity  rejects  with  instinctive  horror.  We 
will  trace  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement  briefly  through  its 
successive  stages  of  growth  and  development.  The  idea  seems 
to  have  started  very  early  in  the*  practical  history  of  the  human 
race,  that  the  sacrifice  and  consequent  deprivation  of  earthly 
goods,  or  some  terrestrial  enjoyment,  would  have  the  effect 
to  mitigate  the  anger,  propitiate  the  favor,  and  obtain  the 
mercy  of  an  imaginary  vengeful  God.  This  idea  obviously 
was  suggested  by  observing  that  their  earthly  rulers  always 


THE  ATONEMENT . 


13a 


smiled,  and  became  less  rigorous  in  their  laws,  and  milder  in 
their  treatment  of  their  subjects,  when  they  made  them  pres- 
ents of  some  valuable  or  desirable  commodity.  They  soon 
learned  that  such  offerings  had  the  effect  to  check  their  cruel 
and  bloody  mode  of  governing  the  people;  so  that  when  their 
houses  were  shaken  down,  or  swallowed  up  by  earthquakes,  the 
trees  riven  by  lightning,  and  prostrated  by  storms,  and  their  cattle 
swept  away  by  floods,  supposing  it  to  be  the  work  of  an  angry 
God,  the  thought  arose  in  their  minds  at  once,  that  perhaps  his 
wrath  could  be  abated  by  the  same  expedient  as  that  which 
had  served  in  the  case  of  their  mundane  lords  — that  of  making 
presents  of  property.  But  as  this  property  could  not  be  car- 
ried up  to  the  celestial  throne,  the  expedient  was  adopted  of 
burning  it,  so  that  the  substance  or  quintessence  of  it  would  be 
conveyed  up  to  the  heavenly  Potentate  in  the  shape  of  steam 
and  smoke,  which  would  make  for  him,  as  the  Jews  express  it, 
“a  sweet-smelling  savor.”  Abundant  and  conspicuous  is  the 
evidence  in  history  to  show  that  the  custom  of  burnt-offer- 
ings and  atonements  for  sin  originated  in  this  way.  The 
first  species  of  property  made  use  of  for  burnt-offerings  ap- 
pears to  have  been  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  — vegetables,  fruits, 
roots,  &c.,  — the  lowest  kind  of  property  in  point  of  value. 
But  the  thought  soon  naturally  sprang  up  in  the  mind  of 
the  devotee,  that  a more  valuable  offering  would  sooner 
and  more  effectually  secure  the  divine  favor.  Hence  levies 
were  made  on  living  herds  of  cattle,  sheep,  goats,  and  other 
domestic  animals.  This  was  the  second  step  in  the  ascend- 
ing scale  toward  Gods.  And  here  we  find  the  key  to  open 
and  solve  the  mystery  of  Jehovah’s  preferring  Abel’s  offer- 
ing to  Cain’s.  While  the  latter  consisted  in  mere  inanimate 
substances,  the  former  embraced  the  firstlings  of  the  flock 
— a higher  and  more  valuable  species  of  property,  and  quite 
sufficient  to  induce  the  selfish  Jehovah  to  prefer  Abel’s  offer- 
ing to  Cain’s,  or  rather  for  the  selfish  Jews  to  cherish  this 
conception.  In  all  nations  where  offerings  were  made,  the  con- 
clusion became  established  in  the  minds  of  the  people  that 
the  amount  of  God’s  favor  procured  in  this  way  must  be  pro- 
nortionate  to  the  value  of  the  commodity  or  victim  offered  up 


140 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


— a conviction  which  ultimately  led  to  the  seizure  of  human 
beings  for  the  atoning  offering,  which  brings  us  to  the  third 
stage  of  growth  in  the  atonement  doctrine.  Children  frequently 
constituted  the  victims  in  this  case.  The  sacrifice  of  Jephthah’s 
daughter,  as  related  in  Judges  xi.  30,  and  other  cases  cited  by 
bible  writers,  Isaiah  xxxii.  25,  and  modern  Christian  authors, 
prove  that  this  practice  was  in  vogue  among  “God’s  holy 
people.”  One  step  more  (constituting  the  fourth  stage  of  de- 
velopment) brings  us  to  the  sacrifice  of  Gods.  The  climax  is 
now  reached ; the  conception  can  go  no  higher.  The  ancient 
Birmese  taught  that  while  common  property  in  burnt-offerings 
would  procure  the  temporary  favor  of  the  ruling  God,  the 
sacrifice  of  human  beings  would  secure  his  good  pleasure  for 
a thousand  years,  and  cancel  out  all  the  sins  committed  in 
that  period.  And  when  one  of  the  three  Gods  on  the  throne 
of  heaven  was  dragged  down,  or  voluntarily  came  down  (as 
some  of  the  sects  taught),  and  was  put  to  death  on  the  cross 
as  an  atonement  for  sin,  such  was  the  value  of  the  victim, 
such  the  magnitude  of  the  offering,  that  it  “ atoned  for  all  sin, 
past,  present,  and  future,  for  all  the  human  race.”  The  Hin- 
doos, cherishing  this  conception,  taught  that  the  crucifixion  of 
their  sin-atoning  Savior  Chrishna  (1200  B.  C.)  put  an  end  to 
both  animal  and  human  sacrifices,  and  accordingly  such  offer- 
ings ceased  in  most  Hindoo  countries  centuries  ago.  Thus  far 
back  in  the  mire  and  midnight  of  human  ignorance,  and  amid 
the  clouds  of  mental  darkness,  while  man  dwelt  upon  the  ani- 
mal plane,  and  was  governed  by  his  brutal  feelings,  and  “blood 
for  blood  ” was  the  requisition  for  human  offenses,  originated 
the  bloody,  savage,  and  revolting  doctrine  of  the  atonement. 

Another  mode  of  adjudicating  the  sins  of  the  people  in  vogue 
in  some  countries  anterior  to  the  custom  of  shedding  blood  as 
an  expiation,  was  that  of  packing  them  on  the  back,  head,  or 
horns  of  some  animal  by  a formal  hocus-pocus  process,  and  then 
driving  the  animal  into  a wilderness,  or  some  other  place  so 
remote  that  the  brute  could  not  find  its  way  back  amongst  the 
people  with  its  cargo  of  sins.  The  cloth  or  fabric  used  for 
inclosing  the  sins  and  iniquities  of  the  people  was  usually  of  a 
red  or  scarlet  color  — of  the  semblance  of  blood.  In  fact  it 


THE  ATONEMENT . 


u: 


was  generally  dipped  in  blood.  This,  being  lashed  to  the  ani- 
mal, would,  of  course,  be  exposed  to  the  weather  and  the 
drenching  rains,  would  consequently,  in  the  course  of  time,  fade 
and  become  white.  Hence  we  have  the  key  to  Isaiah’s  decla- 
ration, “Though  your  sins  be  (red)  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be- 
come (white)  as  wool.”  (See  Isaiah,  i.  18.)  And  thus  the 
meaning  of  this  obscure  text  is  clearly  explained  by  tracing  its 
origin  to  its  oriental  source.  And  there  are  many  other  texts 
in  the  Christian  bible  which  might  be  elucidated  in  a similar 
manner  by  using  oriental  tradition,  or  oriental  sacred  books,  as 
a key  to  unlock  and  explain  their  meaning.  We  have  stated 
above  that  some  animal  was  made  use  of  by  different  nations 
to  convey  the  imaginary  load  of  the  people’s  sins  out  of  the 
country.  For  this  purpose  the  Jews  had  their  “ scape-goat,”  the 
Egyptians  their  “scape-ox,”  the  Hindoos  their  “ scape-horse,” 
the  Chaldeans  their  “scape-ram,”  the  Britons  their  “scape- 
bull,”  the  Mexicans  their  “ scape-lamb  ” and  “ scape-mouse,” 
the  Tamalese  their  “scape-hen,”  and  the  Christians  at  a later 
period  their  scape- God,  Jesus  Christ  may  properly  be  termed 
the  scape-God  of  orthodox  Christians,  as  he  stands  in  the  same 
relation  to  his  disciples,  who  believe  in  the  atonement,  as  the 
goat  did  to  the  Jews,  and  performs  the  same  end  and  office. 
The  goat  and  the  other  sin-offering  animals  took  away  the  sin 
of  the  nation  in  each  case  respectively.  In  like  manner  Jesus 
Christ  takes  away  the  sin  of  the  world,  being  called  “the 
Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.”  (John  i. 
29.)  And  more  than  two  thousand  years  ago  the  Mexicans 
sacrificed  a lamb  as  an  atonement,  which  they  called  “ the 
Lamb  of  God  ” — the  same  title  scripturally  applied  to  Jesus 
Christ.  The  conception  in  each  case  is,  then,  the  same  — that 
of  the  atonement  for  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  an  innocent  victim. 
The  above  citations  show  that  the  present  custom  of  orthodox 
Christendom,  in  packing  their  sins  upon  the  back  of  a God,  is 
just  the  same  substantially  as  that  of  various  heathen  nations, 
who  were  anciently  in  the  habit  of  packing  them  upon  the  backs 
of  various  dumb  animals.  If  some  of  our  Christian  brethren 
should  protest  against  our  speaking  of  the  church’s  idea  of 
atonement  as  that  of  packing  their  sins  upon  the  back  of  a 


142 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


God,  we  will  here  prove  the  appropriateness  of  the  term 
upon  the  authority  of  the  bible.  Peter  expressly  declares 
Christ  bore  our  sins  upon  his  own  body  on  a tree  (see  1 Peter 
ii.  24),  just  as  the  Jews  declared  the  goat  bore  their  sins  on  his 
body,  and  the  ancient  Brahmins  taught  that  the  bulls  and  the 
heifers  bore  theirs  away,  &c.,  which  shows  that  the  whole  con- 
ception is  of  purely  heathen  origin.  And  hereafter,  when  they 
laugh  at  the  Jewish  superstition  of  a scape-goat,  let  them  bear 
in  mind  that  more  sensible  and  intelligent  people  may  laugh  in 
turn  at  their  superstitious  doctrine  of  a scape-God. 

These  superstitious  customs  were  simply  expedients  of  differ- 
ent nations  to  evade  the  punishment  of  their  sins  — an  attempt 
to  shift  their  retributive  consequences  on  to  other  beings.  The 
divine  atonement  more  especially  possessed  this  character.  This 
system  teaches  that  the  Son  of  God  and  Savior  of  the  world 
was  sent  down  and  incarnated,  in  order  to  die  for  the  people, 
and  thus  suffer  by  proxy  the  punishment  meted  out  by  divine 
wrath  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  The  blood  of  a God  must 
atone  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  human  family,  as  rams,  goats, 
bullocks,  and  other  animals  had  atoned  for  the  sins  of  families 
and  nations  under  older  systems.  Thus  taught  Brahminism, 
Budhism,  Persianism,  and  other  religious  systems  before  the 
dawn  of  Christianity.  The  nucleus  of  the  atoning  system  is 
founded  in  the  doctrine,  “ Without  the  shedding  of  blood  there 
is  no  remission  for  sin  ” (Rom.  v.  9)  — a monstrous  and  morally 
revolting  doctrine  — a doctrine  which  teaches  us  that  some- 
body's blood  must  be  shed,  somebody’s  veins  and  arteries  de- 
pleted, for  every  trivial  offense  committed  against  the  moral 
law.  Somebody  must  pay  the  penalty  in  blood,  somebody 
must  be  slaughtered  for  every  little  foible,  or  peccadillo,  or  moral 
blunder  into  which  erring  man  may  chance  to  stumble  while 
upon  the  pilgrimage  of  life,  while  journeying  through  the 
wilderness  of  time,  even  if  a God  has  to  be  dragged  from  his 
throne  in  heaven,  and  murdered  to  accomplish  it.  Nothing 
less  will  mitigate  the  divine  wrath.  Whose  soul,  possessing 
the  slightest  moral  sensibility,  does  not  inwardly  and  instinc- 
tively revolt  at  such  a doctrine?  We  would  not  teach  it  to  the 
world,  for  it  is  founded  in  butchery  and  bloodshed,  and  is  an 


THE  ATONEMENT . 


143 


old  pagan  superstition,  which  originated  far  back  in  the  mid- 
night of  mental  darkness  and  heathen  ignorance,  when  the 
whole  human  race  were  under  the  lawless  sway  of  their  brutal 
propensities,  and  when  the  ennobling  attributes  of  love,  mercy, 
and  forgiveness  had  as  yet  found  no  place,  no  abiding  home, 
in  the  human  bosom.  The  bloody  soul  of  the  savage  first  gave 
it  birth.  We  hold  the  doctrine  to  be  a high-handed  insult  to 
the  All-loving  Father,  who,  we  are  told,  is  “long  suffering  in 
mercy,”  and  “ plentiful  in  forgiveness,”  to  charge  Him  with 
sanctioning  such  a doctrine,  much  less  with  originating  it. 
There  is  no  “mercy  or  forgiveness  ” in  putting  an  innocent 
being  to  death  for  any  pretext  whatever.  And  for  the  Father 
to  consent  to  the  brutal  assassination  of  His  own  innocent  Son 
upon  the  cross  to  gratify  an  implacable  revenge  toward  his 
own  children,  the  workmanship  of  his  own  hands,  rather  than 
forgive  a moral  weakness  implanted  in  their  natures  by  a vol- 
untary act  of  his  own,  and  for  which  consequently  he  alone 
ought  to  be  responsible,  would  be  nothing  short  of  murder  in 
the  first  degree.  We  cherish  no  such  conception.  We  cannot 
for  a moment  harbor  a blasphemous  doctrine,  which  represents 
the  Universal  Father  as  being  a bloody-minded  and  murderous 
being,  instead  of  a being  of  infinite  love,  infinite  wisdom,  and 
infinite  in  all  the  moral  virtues.  Such  a character  would  be  a 
deep-dyed  stigma  upon  any  being.  And  no  person  actuated  by 
a strict  sense  of  justice  would  accept  salvation  upon  any  such 
terms  as  that  prescribed  by  the  Christian  atonement.  It  is 
manifestly  too  unjust,  too  devoid  of  moral  principle,  besides 
being  a flagrant  violation  of  the  first  principles  of  civil  and 
criminal  jurisprudence.  It  is  a double  wrong  to  punish  the 
innocent  for  the  guilty.  It  is  the  infliction  of  injustice  on  the 
one  hand,  and  the  omission  of  justice  on  the  other.  It  inflicts 
the  highest  penalty  of  the  law  upon  an  innocent  being,  whom 
that  law  ought  to  shield  from  punishment,  while  it  exculpates 
and  liberates  the  guilty  party,  whose  punishment  the  moral 
law  demands.  It  robs  society  of  a useful  man  on  the  one 
hand,  and  turns  a moral  pest  upon  community  on  the  other, 
thus  committing  a twofold  wrong,  or  act  of  injustice.  No  court 
m any  civilized  country  would  be  allowed  to  act  upon  such  a 


114 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


principle  ; and  the  judge  who  should  indorse  it,  or  favor  a law, 
or  principle,  which  punishes  the  innocent  for  the  guilty,  would 
be  ruled  off  the  bench  at  once.  Here,  however,  we  are  some- 
times met  with  the  plea,  that  the  offering  of  Jesus  Christ  was 
a voluntary  act,  that  it  was  made  with  his  own  free  will.  But 
the  plea  don’t  do  away  with  either  the  injustice  or  criminality 
of  the  act.  No  innocent  person  has  a right  to  suffer  for  the 
guilty,  and  the  courts  have  no  right  to  accept  the  offer  or  admit 
the  substitute.  An  illustration  will  show  this.  If  Jefferson  Davis 
had  been  convicted  of  the  crime  of  treason,  and  sentenced  to  be 
hung,  and  Abraham  Lincoln  had  come  forward  and  offered  to 
be  stretched  upon  the  gallows  in  his  place,  is  there  a court  in 
the  civilized  world  which  would  have  accepted  the  substitute, 
and  hung  Lincoln,  and  liberated  Davis?  To  ask  the  question 
is  to  answer  it.  It  is  an  insult  to  reason,  law,  and  justice,  to 
entertain  the  proposition. 

The  doctrine  of  the  atonement  also  involves  the  infinite  ab- 
surdity of  God  punishing  himself  to  appease  his  own  wrath. 
For  if  “ the  fullness  of  the  godhead  dwelt  in  Christ  bodily  ” (as 
taught  in  Col.  ii.  9),  then  his  death  was  the  death  of  God  — • 
that  is,  a divine  suicide,  prompted  and  committed  by  a feeling 
of  anger  and  revenge,  which  terminated  the  life  of  the  Infinite 
Ruler  — a doctrine  utterly  devoid  of  reason,  science,  or  sense. 
We  are  sometimes  told  man  owes  a debt  to  his  Maker,  and  the 
atonement  pays  that  debt.  To  be  sure  ! And  to  whom  is  the 
debt  owing,  and  who  pays  it?  Why,  the  debt  is  owing  to 
God,  and  God  (in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ)  pays  it  — pays  it 
to  himself.  We  will  illustrate.  A man  approaches  his  neigh- 
bor, and  says,  “ Sir,  I owe  you  a thousand  dollars,  but  can 
never  pay  it.”  “Very  well;  it  makes  no  difference,”  replies  the 
claimant ; “ I will  pay  it  myself ; ” and  forthwith  thrusts  his  hand 
into  his  right  pocket  and  extracts  the  money,  transfers  it  to  the 
left  pocket,  and  exclaims,  “There,  the  debt  is  paid!  ” A curi- 
ous way  of  paying  debts,  and  one  utterly  devoid  of  sense  ; and 
yet  the  orthodox  world  have  adopted  it  for  their  God.  We 
find,  however,  that  they  carefully  avoid  practicing  this  princi- 
ple themselves  in  their  dealings  with  each  other.  When  they 
have  a claim'  against  a neighbor,  we  do  not  find  them  ever 


THE  ATONEMENT . 


145 


thrusting  their  hands  into  their  own  pockets  to  pay  it  off,  but 
sue  him,  and  compel  him  to  pay,  if  he  refuses  to  do  it  without 
compulsion,  thus  proving  they  do  not  consider  it  a correct  prin- 
ciple of  trade.  But  we  find,  upon  further  investigation,  that 
the  assumed  debt  is  not  paid,  after  all.  When  a debt  is 
paid,  it  is  canceled,  and  dismissed  from  memory,  and  nothing 
more  said  about  it;  but  in  this  case  the  sinner  is  told  he  must 
still  suffer  the  penalty  for  every  sin  he  commits,  notwithstand- 
ing Christ  died  to  atone  for  and  cancel  that  sin.  Where  then 
is  the  virtue  of  the  atonement?  Like  other  doctrines  of  the 
orthodox  creed,  it  is  at  war  wTith  reason,  and  common  sense, 
and  every  principle  of  sound  morality,  and  will  be  marked  by 
coming  ages  as  a relic  of  barbarism. 

10 


146 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE  HOLY  GHOST  OF  ORIENTAL  ORIGIN. 

Of  all  the  weird,  fanciful,  and  fabulous  stories  appertaining 
to  the  Gods  and  other  spiritual  entities  of  the  olden  times, 
whose  capricious  adventures  we  find  so  profusely  narrated  in 
oriental  mythology,  — of  all  the  strange,  mythical,  and  mys- 
tical feats,  and  ever-varying  and  ever-diverging  changes  in  the 
shape,  appearance,  sex,  and  modes  of  manifestation  which  char- 
acterize the  hobgoblins  or  ghostly  beings  which  comprise  the 
esoteric  stock  of  the  ancient  mysteries,  that  appertaining  to 
the  third  member  of  “ the  hypostatic  union,”  the  Holy  Ghost, 
seems  to  stand  pre-eminent.  And  I propose  here  to  submit 
the  facts  to  show  that  the  Holy  Ghost  story  of  the  Christian 
Gospels,  like  the  more  ancient  pagan  versions  of  the  same 
story,  is  marked  by  the  same  wild,  discordant,  and  legendary 
characteristics  which  abound  in  all  the  accounts  of  gods  and 
ghosts  found  recorded  in  the  religious  books  of  various  nations. 

The  following  brief  exposition  of  the  history  and  exploits  of 
this  anomalous,  nondescript,  chameleon-like  being  will  clearly 
evince  that  the  same  fanciful,  metaphorical,  and  fabulous  changes 
in  the  size,  shape,  sex,  and  appearance  of  this  third  limb  of  the 
triune  God  are  found  in  the  Christian  Scriptures  which  are 
disclosed  in  the  more  ancient  oriental  traditions.  We  will  first 
exhibit  a classification  of  the  names  and  characteristics  of  this 
imaginary  being  drawn  from  the  gospels  and  epistles  of  the 
Christian  bible,  by  which  it  will  be  observed  that  scarcely  any 
two  references  to  it  agree  in  assigning  it  the  same  character  or 
attributes. 

1.  In  John  xiv.  26,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  spoken  of  as  a person 
or  personal  God.^ 


THE  HOLT  GHOST  OF  ORIENTAL  ORIGIN . 147 


2.  In  Luke  iii.  22,  the  Holy  Ghost  changes,  and  assumes  the 
form  of  a dove. 

3.  In  Matt.  xiii.  16,  the  Holy  Ghost  becomes  a spirit. 

4.  In  John  i.  32,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  presented  as  an  inanimate, 
senseless  object. 

5.  In  1 John  v.  7,  the  Holy  Ghost  becomes  a God  — the  third 
member  of  the  Trinity. 

6.  In  Acts  ii.  1,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  averred  to  be  “ a mighty, 
rushing  wind.” 

7.  In  Acts  x.  38,  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  infer,  from  its  mode  of 
application,  is  an  ointment. 

8.  In  John  xx.  22,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  breath,  as  we  legit- 
imately infer  by  its  being  breathed  into  the  mouth  of  the  recip- 
ient after  the  ancient  oriental  custom. 

9.  In  Acts  ii.  3,  we  learn  the  Holy  Ghost  “ sat  upon  each  of 
them,”  probably  in  the  form  of  a bird,  as  at  Jesus’  baptism. 

10.  In  Acts  ii.  1,  the  Holy  Ghost  appears  as  “cloven  tongues 
of  fire.” 

11.  In  Luke  ii.  26,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  author  of  a revela- 
tion or  inspiration. 

12.  In  Acts  viii.  17,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a magnetic  aura  im- 
parted by  the  “ laying  on  of  hands.” 

13.  In  Mark  i.  8,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a medium  or  element  for 
baptism. 

14.  In  Acts  xxviii.  25,  the  Holy  Ghost  appears  with  vocal 
organs,  and  speaks. 

15.  In  Heb.  vi.  4,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  dealt  out  or  imparted 
by  measure. 

16.  In  Luke  iii.  22,  the  Holy  Ghost  appears  with  a tangible 
body. 

17.  In  Luke  i.  5,  and  many  other  texts,  we  are  taught,  peo- 
ple are  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 

18.  In  Matt.  xi.  15,  the  Holy  Ghost  falls  upon  the  people  as 
a ponderable  substance. 

19.  In  Luke  iv.  1,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a God  within  a God  — 
“Jesus  being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost.” 

20.  In  Acts  xxi.  11,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a being  of  the  mascu- 
line or  feminine  gender  — “ Thus  saith  the  Holy  Ghost,”  &c. 


148 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


21.  In  John  i.  32,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  of  the  neuter  gender  — 
“It  (the  Holy  Ghost)  abode  upon  him.” 

22.  In  Matt.  i.  18,  the  Holy  Ghost  becomes  a vicarious  agent 
in  the  procreation  of  another  God;  that  is,  this  third  member 
of  the  Trinity  aids  the  first  member  (the  Father)  in  the  crea- 
tion or  generation  of  the  second  member  of  the  triad  of  bach- 
elor Gods  — the  Word,  or  Savior,  or  Son  of  God. 

Such  are  the  ever-shifting  scenes  presented  in  the  Scripture 
panorama  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Surpassing  the  fabulous  changes 
of  some  of  the  more  ancient  demigods,  the  Christian  Holy 
Ghost  undergoes  (as  is  shown  by  the  above-quoted  texts)  a 
perpetual  metathesis  or  metamorphosis  — being  variously  pre- 
sented, on  different  occasions,  as  a personal  and  rational  being, 
a dove,  a spirit,  an  inanimate  object,  a God,  the  wind  or  a wind, 
an  ointment,  the  breath  or  a breath,  cloven  tongues  of  fire,  a 
bird,  or  some  other  flying,  recumbent  animal,  a revelator,  or 
divine  messenger,  a medium,  or  element  for  baptism,  an  intelli- 
gent, speaking  being,  a lifeless,  bodiless,  sexless  being,  a meas- 
urable fluid  substance,  a being  possessing  a body,  ponderable, 
unconscious  substance,  a God  dwelling  within  a God,  and,  final- 
ly— though  really  first  in  order  — the  author  or  agent  of  the 
incarnation  of  the  second  God  in  the  Trinity  (Jesus  Christ). 
That  many  of  these  fabulous  conceptions  were  drawn  from 
mythological  sources  will  be  made  manifest  by  the  following 
facts  of  history  : — 

1.  The  Holy  Ghost  in  the  shape  of  a bird  (a  dove  or  pigeon). 
This  is  proven  to  be  a very  ancient  pagan  tradition,  as  it  is 
found  incorporated  in  several  of  the  oriental  religious  systems. 
In  ancient  India,  whose  prolific  spiritual  fancies  constitute  the 
primary  parentage  of  nearly  all  the  doctrines,  dogmas,  and 
superstitions  found  incorporated  in  the  Christian  Scriptures, a 
dove  was  uniformly  the  emblem  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  Spirit 
of  God.  Confirmatory  of  this  statement,  we  find  the  declara- 
tion in  the  Anacalypsis , that  “a  dove  stood  for  or  represented 
a third  member  of  the  Trinity,  and  was  the  regenerator  or  re- 
generatory  power.”  This  meets  the  Christian  idea  of  “ regen- 
eration and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost.”  (Titus  iii.  5.)  A per- 
son being  baptized  under  the  Brahminical  theocracy  was  said 


THE  HOLT  GHOST  OF  ORIENTAL  ORIGIN.  149 


to  be  “ regenerated  and  born  again,”  or,  as  the  above-quoted 
writer  expresses  it,  “They  were  born  into  the  spirit,  or  the 
spirit  into  them  — that  is,  the  dove  into  or  upon  them  ” (as 
vide  the  case  of  the  Christian’s  “Holy  Ghost  descending  in 
bodily  shape  like  a dove,”  and  alighting  on  Christ’s  head  at 
baptism,  as  related  in  Luke  iii.  22).  In  ancient  Rome  a dove 
or  pigeon  was  the  emblem  of  the  female  procreative  energy, 
and  frequently  a legendary  spirit,  the  accompaniment  of  Venus. 
And  hence,  as  a writer  remarks,  “ It  is  very  appropriately  rep- 
resented as  descending  at  baptism  in  the  character  of  the  third 
member  of  the  Trinity.”  The  same  writer  tells  us,  “ The  dove 
fills  the  Grecian  oracles  with  their  spirit  and  power.”  We  find 
the  dove,  also,  in  the  romantic  eclogues  of  ancient  Syria.  In 
the  time-chiseled  Syrian  temple  of  Hierapolis,  Semiramis  is 
represented  with  a dove  on  her  head,  thus  constituting  the  pro- 
totype of  the  dove  on  the  head  of  the  Christian  Messiah  at 
baptism.  And  a dove  was  in  more  than  one  of  the  ancient 
religious  systems — “The  Spirit  of  God  (Holy  Ghost)  moving 
on  the  face  of  the  waters”  at  creation,  as  implied  in  Gen.  i.  2, 
though  a pigeon,  was  often  indiscriminately  substituted.  In 
Howe’s  “Ancient  Mysteries”  it  is  related  that  “in  St.  Paul’s 
Cathedral,  at  the  feast  of  the  Whitsuntide,  the  descent  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  was  performed  by  a white  pigeon  being  let  fly  out 
of  a hole  in  the  midst  of  the  roof  of  the  great  aisle.”  The 
dove  and  the  pigeon,  being  but  slight  variations  of  the  same 
species  of  the  feathered  tribe,  were  used  indiscriminately. 

2.  As  evinced  above,  the  Holy  Ghost  was  the  third  member 
of  the  Trinity  in  several  of  the  oriental  systems.  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost,  or  Father,  Word,  and  Holy  Ghost  (1  John  v.  7), 
are  familiar  Christian  terms  to  express  the  divine  triad,  which 
shows  the  Holy  Ghost  to  be  the  acknowledged  third  member 
of  the  Christian  Trinity.  And,  as  already  suggested,  the  same 
is  true  of  the  more  ancient  systems.  “ The  Holy  Spirit  and 
the  Evil  Spirit  were,  each  in  their  turn  (says  Mr.  Higgins), 
third  member  of  the  Trinity.”  We  might,  if  space  would 
allow,  draw  largely  upon  the  ancient  defunct  systems  in  proof 
of  this  statement.  “ In  these  triads  (says  Mr.  Hillell)  the  third 
member,  as  might  be  supposed,  was  not  of  equal  rank  with  the 


150 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


other  two.”  And  hence,  in  the  Theban  Trinity,  Khonso  was 
inferior  to  Arion  and  Mant.  In  the  Hindoo  triad,  Siva  was 
subordinate  to  Brahma  and  Vishnu.  And  a score  of  similar 
examples  might  be  adduced  from  the  fancy-constructed  trinities 
of  other  and  older  oriental  religious  systems  (but  for  the  inflex- 
ible rule  of  brevity  which  forbids  their  presentation  here),  with 
all  of  which  the  more  modern  Holy  Ghost  conception  of  the 
Christian  world  is  an  exact  correspondence,  as  this  imaginary, 
fabulous  being  is  less  conspicuous  than,  and  has  always  stood 
third  in  rank  with,  the  Father,  and  second  to  the  Son,  alias  the 
Word,  and  is  now  seldom  addressed  in  practical  Christian  devo- 
tion ; and  thus  the  analogy  is  complete.  Mr.  Maurice  says, 
“ This  notion  of  a third  person  in  the  Deity  (the  Holy  Ghost) 
was  diffused  among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.”  (See  Ind. 
Antiq.,  vol.  iv.  p.  750.)  And  Mr.  Worseley,  in  his  “Voyage” 
(vol.  i.  p.  259),  avers  this  doctrine  to  be  “ of  very  great  antiqui- 
ty, and  generally  received  by  all  the  Gothic  and  Celtic  nations.” 

3.  The  Holy  Ghost  was  the  Holy  Breath  which,  in  the 
Hindoo  traditions,  moved  on  the  face  of  the  waters  at  cre- 
ation, and  imparted  life  and  vitality  into  everything  created. 
A similar  conception  is  recognized  in  the  Christian  Scriptures. 
In  Psalms  xxxiii.  6,  we  read,  “By  the  Word  of  the  Lord  were 
the  heavens  made,  and  all  the  host  of  them  by  the  breath  of 
his  mouth.”  Here  is  the  Brahminical  conception,  square  out, 
of  the  act  of  creation  by  the  Divine  Breath,  which  is  the  Holy 
Ghost,  the  same,  also,  which  was  breathed  into  Adam,  by  which 
he  became  “ a living  soul.”  M.  Dubois  observes,  “ The  Prana, 
or  principle  of  life,  of  the  Hindoos  is  the  breath  of  life  by 
which  the  Creator  (Brahma)  animates  the  clay,  and  man  be- 
came a living  soul.”  (Page  293.) 

4.  Holy  Ghost,  Holy  Breath,  and  Holy  Wind  appear  to  have 
been  synonymous  and  convertible  terms  for  the  living  vocal 
emanations  from  the  mouth  of  the  Supreme  God,  as  memori- 
alized in  several  of  the  pagan  traditions.  The  last  term  (Holy 
Wind)  is  suggested  by  “ the  mighty  rushing  wind  from  heaven  ” 
which  filled  the  house,  or  church,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  (See 
Acts  ii.  2.)  Several  of  the  old  religious  systems  recognize  “the 
Holy  Wind  ” as  a term  for  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  doxology 


THE  HOLT  GHOST  OF  ORIENTAL  ORIGIN.  151 


(reported  by  a missionary)  in  the  religious  service  of  the  Syrian 
worship  runs  thus : — 

“Praise  to  the  Holy  Spiritual  Wind,  which  is  the  Holy  Ghost; 

Praise  to  the  three  persons  which  are  one  true  God.” 

Some  writers  maintain  that  the  Hebrew  Ruh  Aliem , trans- 
lated “Spirit  of  God”  (Gen.  i.  2)  in  our  version,  should  read, 
“ Wind  of  the  Gods.”  And  we  find  that  the  word  pneuma , of 
our  Greek  New  Testament,  is  sometimes  translated  “Ghost” 
and  sometimes  “Wind,”  as  best  suited  the  fancy  of  the  trans- 
lators. In  John  iii.  5,  we  find  the  word  Spirit,  and  in  verse  8 
both  Wind  and  Spirit  are  found  ; and  in  Luke  i.  35,  we  observe 
the  term  Holy  Ghost  — all  translated  from  the  same  word. 
Let  it  be  specially  noted  that  in  the  Greek  Testament  the  word 
pneuma  is  used  in  all  these  cases,  thus  proving  that  Spirit,  Holy 
Ghost,  and  Wind  are  used  in  the  Christian  Scriptures  as  synony- 
mous terms ; and  proving,  also,  that  an  unwarranted  license  has 
been  assumed  by  translators  in  rendering  the  same  word  three 
different  ways.  M.  Auvaroff,  in  his  “ Essays  on  the  Eleusinian 
Mysteries,”  speaks  of  “the  torch  being  ignited  at  the  command 
of  Hermes  of  Egypt,  the  spiritual  agent  in  the  workshop  of 
creation ; ” relative  to  which  statement  a writer  remarks, 
“ Hermes  appears  in  this  instance  as  a personification  of  Wind 
or  Spirit,  as  in  the  bible  (meaning  the  Christian  bible),  God, 
Wind,  and  Spirit  are  often  interchangeable  terms,  and  the  Word 
appears  to  be  from  the  same  wjndy  source.” 

5.  The  Holy  Ghost  as  “ a tongue  of  fire,  which  sat  upon 
each  of  them  ” (the  apostles).  (See  Acts  ii.  3.)  Even  this  con- 
ception is  an  orientalism.  Mr.  Higgins  tells  us  that  “ Budha, 
an  incarnate  God  of  the  Hindoos  (three  thousand  years  ago), 
is  often  seen  with  a glory  or  tongue  of  fire  upon  his  head.” 
And  the  tradition  of  the  visible  manifestation  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  by  fire  was  prevalent  among  the  ancient  Budhists, 
Celts,  Druids,  and  Etrurians.  In  fact,  as  our  author  truly  re- 
marks, “The  Holy  Ghost,  or  Holy  Spirit,  when  visible,  was 
always  in  the  form  of  fire  (or  a bird),  and  was  always  accom- 
panied with  wisdom  and  power.”  Hence  is  disclosed  the  origin 
of  the  ancient  custom  amongst  the  Hindoos,  Persians,  and 


152 


THE  WORLD’S  SAVIORS . 


Chaldeans,  of  making  offerings  to  the  solar  fire,  emblem  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  or  Holy  Spirit. 

6.  Inspiration  by  the  Holy  Ghost . (Luke  ii.  26.)  “ Holy  men 
of  God,”  including  some  of  the  prophets,  are  claimed  to  have 
been  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  (See  2 Peter  i.  21 ; Acts 
xxviii.  25.)  In  like  manner,  as  we  are  informed  by  Mr.  Cleland 
in  his  “ Specimens”  (see  Appendix),  the  ancient  Celts  were  not 
only  “ moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost  ” in  their  divine  decrees  and 
prophetic  utterances,  but  they  claimed  that  their  Salic  laws 
(seventy-two  in  number)  were  inspired  by  the  “ Salo  Ghost” 
(Holy  Ghost),  known  also  as  “the  Wisdom  of  the  Spirit,  or 
the  Voice  of  the  Spirit.”  This  author  several  times  alludes  to 
the  fact,  and  exhibits  the  proof,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  was  known  to  this  ancient  people. 

7.  The  Holy  Ghost  imparted  by  “ the  laying  on  of  hands.” 
This,  too,  is  an  ancient  oriental  custom.  “And  by  the  imposi- 
tion of  hands  on  the  head  of  the  candidate,”  says  Mr.  Cleland, 
speaking  of  the  Celts,  “the  Holy  Ghost,  or  Holy  Spirit,  was  con- 
veyed.” And  thus  was  the  Holy  Spirit,  Ghost,  Gas,  Wind, 
Electrical  Fire,  or  Spirit  of  Authority  imparted  to  the  hiero- 
phant or  gospel  novitiate.  “ And  their  public  assemblies,”  con- 
tinues our  author,  “were  always  opened  by  an  invocation  to 
the  Holy  Ghost.” 

8.  Baptism  by  or  into  the  Holy  Ghost  accompanied  with  fire. 
(Matt.  iii.  11.)  This  rite,  too,  is  traceable  to  a very  ancient 
period,  and  was  practiced  by  several  of  the  old  symbolical  and 
mythological  systems.  The  Tuscans,  or  Etrurians,  baptized 
with  fire,  wind  (ghost),  and  water.  Baptism  into  the  first 
member  of  the  Trinity  (the  Father)  was  with  fire ; baptism 
into  the  second  member  of  the  Trinity  (the  Word)  was  with 
water ; while  baptism  into  the  third  member  of  the  Trinity 
(the  Holy  Ghost,  or  Holy  Spirit)  consisted  of  the  initiatory 
spiritual  or  symbolical  application  of  gas,  gust,  ghost,  wind,  or 
spirit.  It  appears  from  “ Herbert’s  Travels,”  that,  in  “ ancient 
countries,  the  child  was  taken  to  the  priest,  who  named  him 
(christened  him)  before  the  sacred  fire ; ” after  which  ceremony 
he  was  sprinkled  with  “holy  water”  from  a vessel  made  of  the 
Bacred  tree  known  as  “ The  Holme.” 


THE  HOLT  GHOST  OF  ORIENTAL  ORIGIN.  153 

9.  The  Holy  Ghost  imparted  by  breathing.  (See  John  xx.  22.) 
6i  Sometimes,”  says  Mr.  Higgins,  relative  to  this  custom  among 
the  ancient  heathen,  “ the  priest  blew  his  breath  upon  the  child, 
which  was  then  considered  baptized  by  air , spiritus  sanctus , or 
ghost  — i.  e.,  baptism  by  the  Holy  Ghost.”  In  case  of  baptism, 
a portion  of  the  Holy  Ghost  was  supposed  to  be  transferred 
from  the  priest  to  the  candidate.  “ The  practice  of  breathing 
in  or  upon,”  says  our  author,  “ was  quite  common  among  the 
ancient  heathen.” 

10;  The  Holy  Ghost  as  the  agent  in  divine  conception , or  the 
procreation  of  other  gods.  Jesus  is  said  to  have  been  con- 
ceived by  the  Holy  Ghost  (see  Matt.  i.  18),  and  we  find  similar 
claims  instituted  still  more  anciently  for  other  incarnate  demi- 
gods. In  the  Mexican  Trinity,  Y,  Zona  was  the  Father,  Bacal 
the  Word,  and  Echvah  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  the  last  of  whom 
Chimalman  conceived  and  brought  forth  the  enfleshed  god 
Quexalcote.  (See  Mex.  Ant.,  vol.  vi.  p.  1650.)  In  the  Hindoo 
mythos,  Sakia  was  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost  Nara-an. 
Other  cases  might  be  cited  proving  the  same  point. 

Thus  we  observe  that  the  various  heterogeneous  conceptions, 
discordant  traditions,  and  contradictory  superstitions  appertain- 
ing to  that  anomalous  nondescript  being  known  as  the  Holy 
Ghost,  are  traceable  to  various  oriental  countries,  and  to  a very 
remote  antiquity.  We  will  only  occupy  space  with  one  or  two 
more  historical  citations  of  a general  nature,  tending  to  prove 
the  prevalence  of  this  ghostly  myth  in  other  countries,  not  yet 
cited.  “ Tell  me,  O thou  strong  in  fire ! ” ejaculated  Sesostris 
of  Egypt  to  the  oracle,  as  reported  by  Manet  ho,  “ who  before 
me  could  subjugate  all  things,  and  who  shall  after  me?”  But 
the  oracle  rebuked  him,  saying,  “ First  God,  then  the  Word, 
and  with  them  the  Spirit.”  (See  Nimrod,  vol.  i.  p.  119.)  “ And 
Plutarch,  in  his  ‘Life  of  Numa,’ ” says  our  oft-quoted  author, 
“ shows  that  the  incarnation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was  known  both 
to  the  ancient  Romans  and  Egyptians.”  The  doctiine  is  thus 
shown  to  have  been  nearly  universal. 


154 


THE  WORLD  ’S  SA  VIORS . 


Origin  of  the  Holy  Ghost  Superstition. 

The  origin  of  the  tradition  respecting  this  fabulous  and  my  th- 
ical being  is  easily  traced  to  the  ancient  Brahminical  trifold 
conception  of  the  Deity,  in  which  stands,  in  Trinity  order,  first, 
the  God  of  power,  or  might  — Brahma,  or  Brahm  (the  Father); 
second,  the  God  of  creation  — the  Word  — answering  to  John’s 
creative  Word  (see  John  i.  3)  ; and,  third,  the  God  of  genera- 
tion and  regeneration  — the  Holy  Spirit,  or  Holy  Ghost.  The 
last  member  of  the  triune  conception  of  the  Deity  was  consid- 
ered, under  the  Brahminical  theocracy,  the  living , vital , active , 
life-imparting  agent  in  both  the  first  and  second  births  of  men 
and  the  gods.  It  will  be  borne  in  mind  by  the  reader  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  represented  in  the  Christian  Scripture  as  being 
the  active  generating  agent  of  Christ’s  conception,  he  being,  as 
Matthew  declares,  “ conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost.”  The  Holy 
Ghost  was  also  the  regenerating  agent  at  his  baptism.  Although 
the  specific  object  of  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  on  that 
occasion  is  not  stated  by  Luke,  who  relates  it ; although  it  is 
not  stated  for  what  purpose  the  Holy  Spirit,  after  assuming  the 
form  of  a bird,  alighted  and  sat  upon  his  head,  yet  the  motive 
is  fully  disclosed  in  the  older  mythical  religions,  where  we  find 
the  matter  in  fuller  detail.  Baptism  itself  is  claimed  by  all  its 
Christian  votaries  as  regenerating  or  imparting  a new  spiritual 
life ; and  this  new  spiritual  life  was  believed  by  several  nations, 
as  before  stated,  to  make  its  appearance  in  the  character  and 
shape  of  a bird  — sometimes  a pigeon,  sometimes  a dove  ; and 
thus  the  origin  of  this  tradition  is  most  clearly  and  unmistak- 
ably exposed.  As  the  foregoing  historical  exposition  exhibits 
the  Holy  Ghost  as  performing  several  distinct  and  discordant 
offices,  so  we  likewise  find  it  possessing  at  least  two  distinct 
genders,  the  masculine  and  neuter,  i.  e.,  no  gender  — changing, 
ghost-like,  from  one  to  the  other,  as  occasion  seemed  to  require. 

From  all  these  metamorphoses  it  is  shown  and  demonstrated 
that  the  sexual  and  other  changes  of  this  “mysterious”  being 
equal  many  of  the  demigods  of  mythology.  The  primary 
windy  conception  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  traceable  to  that  early 


THE  HOLT  GHOST  OF  ORIENTAL  ORIGIN.  155 

period  of  society  when  the  rude  and  untutored  denizens  of  the 
earth,  in  their  profound  ignorance  of  natural  causes,  were  very 
easily  and  naturally  led  into  the  belief  that  wherever  there  was 
motion  there  was  a God,  or  the  active  manifestation  of  a God, 
whether  it  was  in  the  wind,  breath,  water,  fire,  or  the  sun. 
Hence  the  Buddhists  had  their  god  Vasus , who  manifested 
himself  variously  in  the  shape  or  character  of  fire,  wind,  storms, 
gas,  ghosts,  gusts,  and  the  breath,  thus  constituting  a very 
nearly-allied  counterpart  to  the  Christian  Holy  Ghost,  which 
Mr.  Parkhurst  tells  us  originally  meant  “air  in  motion.”  This 
god  was  believed  to  have  sprung  from  the  supreme,  primordial 
God,  which  the  ancient  Brahmins  and  Budhists  generally  be- 
lieved was  constituted  of  a fine,  spiritual  substance,  — aura, 
anirna,  wind,  ether,  igneous  fluid,  or  electrical  fire,  i.  e.,  fire 
from  the  sun,  — giving  rise  to  “ baptism  by  fire ; ” and  hence  the 
third  God,  or  third  member  of  the  Trinity,  subsequently  arising 
out  of  this  compound  being,  was  also  necessarily  composed  of, 
or  consisted  of,  the  same  properties  — all  of  which  were  be- 
lieved to  be  correlative,  if  not  identical. 

Such  is  a complete,  though  brief,  historical  elucidation  of  that 
mysterious,  imaginary  being  so  corporally  intangible  that  Fans- 
tus,  of  the  third  century,  declared  respecting  it,  “The  Holy 
Spirit,  the  third  majesty,  has  the  air  for  his  residence.”  And 
it  is  a fabulous  God  whose  scriptural  biography  is  invested  with 
so  many  ludicrous  and  abstruse  incidents  as  to  incite  several 
hundred  Christian  writers  to  labor  hard  and  with  a “godly 
zeal,”  by  a reconstruction  of  “God’s  Word”  and  a rehabiliment 
of  the  ghostly  texts,  to  effect  some  kind  of  a reconciliation  of 
the  story  with  reason  and  common  sense  — with  what  success 
the  reader  is  left  to  judge. 

The  Unpardonable  Sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Before  dismissing  our  ghostly  narrative,  it  may  effect  some- 
thing in  the  way  of  mitigating  the  anxious  fears  of  some  of  our 
Christian  brethren  and  sisters  to  explain  the  nature  of  “the  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost,”  and  assign  the  reason  for  its  being 
unpardonable.  The  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  consisted,  ac- 


156 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


cording  to  the  ancient  Mexican  traditions,  in  resisting  its  opera- 
tions in  the  second  birth  — that  is,  the  regeneration  of  the  heart 
or  soul  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  as  the  rectification  of  the 
heart  or  soul  was  a prominent  idea  with  Christ,  there  is  scarcely 
any  ground  to  doubt  but  that  this  was  the  notion  he  cherished 
of  the  nature  of  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  it  was 
considered  unpardonable,  simply  because  as  the  pardoning  and 
cleansing  process  consisted  in,  or  was  at  least  always  accompa- 
nied with,  baptism  by  water,  in  which  operation  the  Holy  Ghost 
was  the  agent  in  effecting  a “ new  birth,”  therefore  when  the 
ministrations  or  operations  of  this  indispensable  agent  were 
resisted  or  rejected,  there  was  no  channel,  no  means,  no  possible 
mode  left  for  the  sinner  to  find  a renewed  acceptance  with  God. 
When  a person  sinned  against  the  Father  or  the  Word  (the 
Son),  he  could  find  a door  of  forgiveness  through  the  baptizing 
processes,  spiritual  or  elementary,  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  an 
offense  committed  against  this  third  limb  of  the  godhead  had 
the  effect  to  close  and  bar  the  door  so  that  there  could  be  “ no 
forgiveness,  either  in  this  life  or  that  which  is  to  come”  To 
sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  was  to  tear  down  the  scaffold  by 
which  the  door  of  heaven  was  to  be  reached. 

And  thus  is  explained  the  great  “ mystery  of  godliness ,”  the 
“ unpardonable  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,”  which,  on  account 
of  the  frightful  penalty  annexed  to  it,  while  it  is  impossible  to 
learn  what  it  consists  in,  — it  being  undefined  and  ? indefinable , — 
has  caused  thousands,  and  probably  millions,  of  the  disciples 
of  the  Christian  faith  the  most  agonizing  hours  of  alarm  and 
despair. 


THE  DIVINE  WORD  OF  ORIENTAL  ORIGIN . 157 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE  DIVINE  “WORD”  OF  ORIENTAL  ORIGIN. 

The  Word  as  Creator,  as  Second  Person  oe  the 
Trinity  and  its  Pre-existence. 

The  Word  of  Oriental  Origin . 

“In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with 
God,  and  the  Word  was  God.”  (John  i.  1.)  The  doctrine  of  the 
divine  creative  word  (from  the  Greek  Logos)  appears  to  have 
been  coeval  in  its  origin  with  that  of  the  Trinity,  if  not  insep- 
arably connected  with  it,  as  it  constitutes  the  second  member 
of  the  Trinity  of  “ Father,  Word,  and  Holy  Ghost”  in  most  of 
the  ancient  systems  of  religion.  Works  on  heathen  mythology 
show  that  it  was  anciently  a very  prevalent  custom  to  per- 
sonify ideas,  thoughts,  and  words  into  angels  and  Gods. 
Words  were  first  personated,  and  transformed  into  men,  then 
kito  angels,  and  finally  into  Gods.  And  here  is  foreshad- 
owed the  origin  of  John’s  personification  of  “the  Word  made 
flesh  ” It  was  simply  the  word  of  the  supreme  God  as  it 
escaped  from  his  mouth,  assuming  the  form  and  characteristics 
of  a divine  being  like  himself,  and  taking  position  as  a sec- 
ondary God  and  second  member  of  the  Trinity.  This  was  the 
orient  conception,  and  it  appears  to  have  been  John’s.  He 
evidently  had  no  thought  of  Christ  experiencing  human  birth, 
at  first,  or  being  born  of  a woman,  but  believed,  like  some  of 
the  orientalists,  that  he  came  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Father, 
and  was  thus  “ made  flesh.”  (John  i.  2.)  Not  a word  of  Christ 
being  born  is  found  in  John’s  Gospel,  till  after  his  existence  as 
the  Word  is  spoken  of.  (See  first  note  on  page  379.) 


158 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


The  Word  as  Creator. 

John  also  represents  the  Word  as  having  been  the  Cieator. 
“All  things  were  made  by  him.”  (John  i.  3.)  And  Peter  de- 
clares, “By  the  word  of  God  the  heavens  were  of  old.”  (2 
Peter  iii.  5.)  Now  let  it  be  observed  here,  as  a notable  cir- 
cumstance, that  the  Chinese  bible,  much  older  than  the  Chris- 
tian’s New  Testament,  likewise  declares,  “God  pronounced  the 
primeval  Word,  and  his  own  eternal  and  glorious  abode  sprang 
into  existence.”  Mr.  Guizot,  in  a note  on  Gibbon’s  work,  says, 
“ According  to  the  Zend-Avesta  (the  Persian  bible,  more  than 
three  thousand  years  old),  it  is  by  the  Word,  more  ancient  than 
the  world,  that  Ormuzd  created  the  universe.”  In  like  manner 
the  sacred  writings  of  the  ancient  Thibetans  speak  of  “the 
Word  which  produced  the  world”  — an  exact  counterpart  to 
John’s  declaration,  “All  things  were  made  by  him.”  And  the 
ancient  Greek  writer  Amelias,  speaking  of  the  God  Mercury, 
says,  “And  this  plainly  was  the  Logos  (the  Word),  by  whom 
all  things  were  made,  he  being  himself  eternal,  as  Heraclitus 
would  say,  . . . He  assumed  to  be  with  God,  and  to  be  God, 
and  in  him  everything  that  was  made,  has  its  life  and  being, 
who,  descending  into  body,  and  putting  on  flesh,  took  the 
appearance  of  a man,  though  still  retaining  the  majesty  of  his 
nature.  Here  is  “the  Word  made  flesh”  set  forth  in  most 
explicit  terms.  The  Psalmist  exclaims,  “By  the  Word  of  God 
were  the  heavens  made,  and  all  the  host  of  them  by  the  Breath 
of  his  mouth.”  (Ps.  xxxiii.  6.)  Here  is  disclosed  not  only  the 
conception  of  the  Word  as  Creator,  but  also  the  Word  and  the 
Breath  as  synonymous  terms,  both  of  which  conceptions  orien- 
tal history  amply  proves  to  be  of  heathen  derivation.  It  was 
anciently  believed  that  the  Word  and  Breath  of  God  were  the 
same,  and  possessed  a vitalizing  power,  which,  as  they  issued 
from  his  mouth,  might  be  transformed  into  another  being,  known 
as  a secondary  God.  Both  the  Jews  and  the  Christians  seem 
to  have  inherited  this  belief,  as  evinced  by  the  foregoing  quota- 
tions from  their  bible.  The  most  ancient  tradition  taught  that 
the  Word  emanated  from  the  mouth  of  the  principal  God,  and 


THE  DIVINE  WORD  OF  ORIENTAL  ORIGIN . 159 


“became  flesh,”  that  is,  took  form,  as  the  ancient  Brahmins 
expressed  it,  for  the  special  purpose  of  serving  as  agent  in  the 
work  of  creation,  that  is,  to  become  the  creator  of  the  external 
universe.  St.  John  evidently  borrowed  this  idea.  Read  his 
first  chapter. 

Pre-existence  of  the  Word. 

The  pre-existence  or  previous  existence  of  the  Word,  ante- 
cedent to  the  date  of  its  metamorphosis  into  the  human  form, 
we  find  taught  in  several  of  the  ancient  systems  of  religion,  as 
well  as  the  more  modern  Christian  system.  Several  texts  in 
the  Christian  New  Testament  set  forth  the  doctrine  quite  ex- 
plicitly. Christ,  as  the  Divine  Word,  declared,  “ Before  Abra- 
ham was  I am,”  and  that  he  had  an  existence  with  the  Father 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  &c.,  which  is  a distinct 
avowal  of  the  doctrine  of  pre-existence.  But  oriental  history 
proves  the  doctrine  is  much  older  than  Christianity.  The 
Hindoo  very  anciently  taught  that  “the  Word  had  existed 
with  God  from  all  eternity,  and  when  spoken  it  became  a 
glorious  form,  the  aggregate  embodiment  of  all  the  divine 
ideas,  and  performed  the  work  of  creation.”  And  of  Chrishna 
it  is  affirmed,  that  “ while  upon  the  earth  he  existed  also  in 
heaven.”  (See  Baghavat  Gita.)  In  like  manner  it  is  declared 
of  an  Egyptian  God,  that  “though  he  was  born  into  the 
world,  he  existed  with  his  father  God  before  the  world  was 
made.”  And  parallel  to  this  is  the  statement  of  the  Chinese 
bible,  that  “though  the  Holy  Word  (Chang-si)  will  be  born 
upon  the  earth,  yet  he  existed  before  anything  was  made.” 
Even  for  Pythagoras  it  was  claimed  he  existed  in  heaven  be- 
fore he  was  born  upon  the  earth.  Mr.  Higgins,  in  summing 
up  the  matter,  declares,  “All  the  old  religions  believed  the 
world  was  created  by  the  Word,  and  that  this  Word  existed 
before  creation”  (Ana.  vol.  ii.  p.  77),  which  clearly  indicates 
the  source  of  St.  John’s  creative  Word. 

The  Dual  or  twofold  Name  of  the  Word. 

In  most  cases  the  living  Divine  Word  was  known  by  differ- 
ent names  and  titles,  prior  to  the  era  of  its  assuming  the  >nor- 


160  THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 

tal  form,  from  that  by  which  it  was  known  after  its  fleshly  in- 
vestment. Among  the  ancient  Persians,  the  name  for  the 
divine  spiritual  Word  was  Honover.  After  its  human  birth,  it 
was  called  “Mithra  the  Mediator.”  The  Hindoo  oriental 
term  for  the  primeval  Word  was  Om,  or  Aum.  After  assuming 
its  most  important  incarnate  form,  it  was  known  as  Chrishna. 
The  Chinese  Holy  Interior  Word  was  Om-i-to,  and  its  princi- 
pal incarnation  was  Chang-ti  or  Ti-en-ti.  The  Japanese  also 
proclaimed  their  belief  in  a Divine  Word  before  the  Christian 
era,  which,  in  their  language,  was  Amida.  They  taught,  like 
John,  that  it  came  forth  from  the  mouth  of  the  Supreme  God 
(JBrahm)  to  perform  the  work  of  creation,  after  which  it  was 
known  as  Sakia.  And  that  popular  Christian  writer,  Mr.  Mil- 
man,  informs  us  that  the  Jewish  founders  of  Christianity  be- 
lieved in  an  original  Divine  Word,  which  they  called  Memra. 
When  it  descended  to  the  earth,  and  “became  flesh,  and  dwelt 
amongst  us”  (John  i.  4),  according  to  the  evangelist  John,  it 
was  known  as  Jesus  Christ.  Mr.  Milman  states  also,  that  “the 
appellation  of  the  Word  is  found  in  the  Indian  (Hindoo),  Per- 
sian, the  Platonic,  and  the  Alexandrian  systems.”  (Hist,  of 
Chr.  Book  I.  chap.  2.)  Thus  the  question  is  settled  by  Chris- 
tian testimony,  that  the  various  conceptions  of  the  Divine  Word 
are  of  heathen  origin. 

The  Word  as  Second  Member  of  the  Trinity. 

“ There  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the 
Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.”  (1  John  v.  7.)  Observe,  the  Word 
is  the  second  person  in  the  Trinity.  And  this  was  its  post  in 
the  Brahman,  Hindoo,  Persian,  and  other  systems.  “ All  reli- 
gions,” says  a writer,  “ which  taught  the  existence  of  the  Word 
as  a great  primeval  spirit,  represent  him  as  secondary  to  the 
supreme.”  (P.  R.  3,  vol.  ii.  p.  336.)  “The  Hindoos  reverenced 
it  next  to  Brahm.”  Mr.  Higgins  cuts  the  matter  short  by  de- 
claring, “The  Logos,  or  Word,  was  the  second  person  of  the 
Trinity  in  all  the  ancient  systems,  as  in  the  Christian  system,” 
which  again  indicates  its  heathen  origin. 


THE  DIVINE  WORD  OF  ORIENTAL  ORIGIN.  161 


Tiie  Word  as  a Biblical  Title. 

“The  Word,”  “the  Holy  Word,”  “the  Divine  Word,”  &c. 
are  terms  now  frequently  applied  to  the  Christian  bible,  with- 
out any  suspicion  of  their  heathen  origin.  The  Zend-Avesta, 
the  Persian  bible,  was  always  called  “ The  Living  Word  of 
God,”  for  that  is  the  meaning  of  the  term  Zend-Avesta,  and  the 
oldest  bible  in  the  world  is  the  Yedas,  and  it  means  both  Word 
and  Wisdom.  Om,  the  Egyptian’s  Holy  Word,  they  frequently 
applied  both  to  their  incarnate  Gods  and  to  their  sacred  writ- 
ings. 

The  practice  of  calling  bibles  “The  Word  of  God”  origi- 
nated from  the  belief,  that  when  the  incarnate  Word  left  the 
earth,  and  returned  to  heaven,  he  infused  a portion  of  his  living 
spirit  into  the  divine  writings  which  contained  his  history  and 
his  doctrines,  and  which  he  himself  had  prompted  his  disciples 
to  write  as  his  “Last  Revelation  to  man.”  They  then  must 

contain  a portion  of  him,  i.  e.,  a portion  of  the  Holy  Word, 

hence  both  were  called  “The  Holy  Word.”  And  this  heathen 
custom  Christians  borrowed. 

Origin  of  the  Word  as  Creator. 

The  motive  which  prompted  a belief  in  the  creative  Word 
may  be  styled  a theological  necessity.  It  was  believed  that 
the  principal  God,  like  the  rulers  of  earth,  was  too  aristocratic 
to  labor  with  his  own  hands.  Hence  another  God  was  origi- 
nated to  perform  the  work  of  creation,  and  called  “ The  Word.” 
The  origin  of  the  creative  Word  is  still  further  indicated  by 
Blackwood’s  Magazine.  It  says,  “ Creation  became  impossible 
to  a being  already  infinite,  and  was  a derogation  to  a being 
already  perfect.  Some  lower  God,  some  Avatar,  must  be  inter- 
posed (as  an  emanation  from  the  mouth  of  the  God  supreme) 
to  perform  the  subordinate  task  of  creation  Hence  originated 
and  came  forth  the  Word  as  Creator.” 

11 


162 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  TRINITY  VERY  ANCIENTLY  A CURRENT 
HEATHEN  DOCTRINE. 

“ There  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Father, 
the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  these  three  are  one.”  (1 
John  v.  7.)  This  text,  which  evidently  discloses  a belief  in  the 
existence  of  three  separate  and  distinct  beings  in  the  Godhead, 
sets  forth  a doctrine  which  was  anciently  of  almost  universal 
prevalence.  Nearly  every  nation,  whether  oriental  or  occiden- 
tal, whose  religious  faith  has  been  commemorated  in  history, 
discloses  in  its  creed  a belief  in  the  trifold  nature  and  triune 
division  of  the  Deity.  St.  Jerome  testifies  unequivocally,  “ All 
the  ancient  nations  believed  in  the  Trinity.”  And  a volume  of 
facts  and  figures  might  be  cited  here,  if  we  had  space  for  them, 
in  proof  of  this  statement.  A text  from  one  of  the  Hindoo 
bibles  (the  Puranas)  will  evince  the  antiquity  and  prevalence 
of  this  belief  in  a nation  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  millions  of 
people  more  than  two  thousand  years  ago. 

“O  you  three  Lords!”  ejaculated  Attencion,  “know  that  I 
recognize  only  one  God.  Inform  me,  therefore,  which  of  you 
is  the  true  divinity,  that  I may  address  to  him  alone  my  vows 
and  adorations.  The  three  Gods,  Brahma,  Yishnu,  and  Siva, 
becoming  manifest  to  him,  replied,  “Learn,  O devotee,  that 
there  is  no  real  distinction  between  us.  What  to  you  appears 
such  is  only  by  semblance.  The  single  being  appears  under 
three  forms  by  the  acts  of  creation,  preservation,  and  destruc- 
tion, but  he  is  one.” 

Now,  reader,  note  the  remark  here,  that  the  ancient  Christian 
fathers  almost  universally  and  unanimously  proclaimed  the 


THE  TRINITY  A HEATHEN  DOCTRINE.  163 


doctrine  of  the  Trinity  as  one  of  the  leading  tenets  of  the 
Christian  faith,  and,  as  a doctrine  derived  directly  by  revela- 
tion from  heaven.  But  here  we  find  it  most  explicitly  set  forth 
by  a disciple  of  a pagan  religion  more  than  three  thousand 
years  ago,  as  the  Christian  missionary  D.  O.  Allen  states,  that 
the  Hindoo  bible,  in  which  it  is  found,  was  compiled  fourteen 
hundred  years  before  Christ,  and  written  at  a still  earlier 
period.  And  we  find  the  same  doctrine  very  explicitly  taught 
in  the  ancient  Brahmin,  Persian,  Chaldean,  Chinese,  Mexican, 
and  Grecian  systems  — all  much  older  than  Christianity.  No 
writer  ever  taught  or  avowed  a belief  in  any  tenet  of  religious  faith 
more  fully  or  plainly  than  Plato  sets  forth,  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity  in  his  Phsedon,  written  four  hundred  years  B.  C.  And  his 
terms  are  found  to  be  in  most  striking  conformity  to  the  Chris- 
tian doctrine  on  this  subject,  as  taught  in  the  New  Testament. 
Plato’s  first  term  for  the  Trinity  was  in  Greek,  1.  To  Agathon, 
the  supreme  God  or  Father ; 2.  The  Logos,  which  is  the  Greek 
term  for  the  Word  ; and  3.  Psyche,  which  the  Greek  Lexicon 
defines  to  mean  “ soul,  spirit,  or  ghost”  — of  course,  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Here  we  have  the  three  terms  of  the  Christian  Trinity, 
Father,  Word,  and  Holy  Ghost,  as  plainly  taught  as  language 
can  express  it,  thus  making  Plato’s  exposition  of  the  Trinity  and 
definition  of  its  terms,  published  four  hundred  years  B.  C.,  iden- 
tical in  meaning  with  those  of  St.  John’s,  as  found  in  his  Gospel, 
and  contained  in  the  above  quoted  text.  Where,  then,  is  the 
foundation  for  the  dogmatic  claim  on  the  part  of  Christian  pro- 
fessors for  the  divine  origin  of  the  Trinity  doctrine.  We  will 
here  cite  the  testimony  of  some  Christian  writers  to  prove  that 
the  Trinity  is  a pagan-derived  doctrine.  A Christian  bishop , 
Mr.  Powell,  declares,  “I  not  only  confess,  but  I maintain , such 
a similitude  of  Plato’s  and  John’s  Trinity  doctrines  as  bespeaks 
a common  origin.”  (Thirteenth  letter  to  Dr.  Priestley.)  What 
is  that  you  say,  bishop  ? “ A common  origin.”  Then  you  con- 
cede both  are  heaven-derived,  or  both  Leathen-derived.  If  the 
former,  then  revelation  and  heathenism  are  synonymous  terms. 
If  the  latter,  then  Christianity  stands  on  a level  with  heathen 
mythology.  Which  horn  of  the  dilemma  will  you  choose  ? St. 
Aug  istine  confessed  he  found  the  beginning  of  John’s  Gospel 


164 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


in  Plato’s  Phaedon,  which  is  a concession  of  the  whole  ground 
Another  writer,  Chataubron,  speaks  of  an  ancient  Greek  in- 
scription on  the  great  obelisk  at  Rome,  which  reads,  “ 1.  The 
Mighty  God ; 2.  The  Begotten  of  God  ( as  Christ  is  declared 
to  be  “the  only  begotten  of  the  Father”  (John  i.  14)  ; and  3. 
Apollo  the  Spirit”  — the  Holy  Spirit  or  Holy  Ghost;  thus 
presenting  in  plain  language  the  three  terms  of  the  Trinity. 
And  Mr.  Cudworth,  in  corroboration  of  this  report,  says,  “ The 
Greeks  had  a first  God,  and  second  God,  and  third  God,  and 
the  second  was  begotten  by  the  first.  And  yet  for  all  that,” 
continues  Mr.  Cudworth,  “ they  considered  all  these  one.”  In 
the  Platonic  or  Grecian  Trinity,  the  first  person  was  considered 
the  planner  of  the  work  of  creation,  the  second  person  the 
creator,  and  the  third  person  the  ghost  or  spirit  which  moved 
upon  the  face  of  the  waters,  and  infused  life  into  the  mighty 
deep  at  creation  — the  same  Holy  Ghost  which  descended 
from  heaven  to  infuse  life  into  the  waters  at  Christ’s  bap- 
tism. Thus  the  resemblance  is  complete.  Mr.  Basnage  quotes 
a Christian  writer  of  the  fifth  century  as  declaring,  “ The  Athe- 
nian sage  Plato  marvelously  anticipated  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant and  mysterious  doctrines  of  the  Christian  religion”  — 
meaning  the  Trinity  — an  important  concession  truly.  The 
oldest  and  probably  the  original  form  of  the  Trinity  is  that 
found  in  the  Brahmin  and  Hindoo  systems — the  terms  of 
which  are,  1.  Brahma,  the  Father  or  supreme  God;  2.  Vishnu, 
the  incarnate  Word  and  Creator;  3.  Siva,  the  Spirit  of  God, 
i.  e.,  the  Holy  Spirit  or  Ghost  — each  answering  to  correspond- 
ing terms  of  the  Christian  Trinity,  and  yet  two  thousand  years 
older,  according  to  Dr.  Smith.  We  have  not  allowable  space 
for  other  facts  and  citations  (as  this  work  is  designed  as  a mere 
epitome),  although  we  have  but  entered  upon  the  threshold  of 
the  evidence  tending  to  prove  that  the  Christian  Trinity  was 
born  of  heathen  parents,  that  it  is  an  offspring  of  heathen  my- 
thology, like  other  doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith,  claimed  by 
its  disciples  as  the  gift  of  divine  revelation. 

Here  let  it  be  noted  as  a curious  chapter  in  sacred  history, 
that  the  numerous  divine  Trinities,  which  have  constituted  a 
part  of  nearly  every  religious  system  ever  propagated  to  the 


THE  TRINITY  A HEATHEN  DOCTRINE . 


165 


world,  were  composed  in  every  case  of  male  Gods.  No  female 
has  ever  yet  been  admitted  into  the  triad  of  Gods  composing 
the  orthodox  Trinity.  Every  member  of  the  Trinity  in  every 
case  is  a male,  and  an  old  bachelor — a doctrine  most  flagrantly 
at  war  with  the  principles  of  modern  philosophy.  For  this 
science  teaches  us  that  the  endowment  of  a being  with  either 
male  or  female  organs,  presupposes  the  existence  of  the  other 
sex  ; and  that  either  sex,  without  the  other,  would  be  a ludi- 
crous anomaly,  and  a ludicrous  distortion  of  nature  unparalleled 
in  the  history  of  science.  As  sexual  organs  create  an  imperious 
desire  for  the  other  sex,  no  male  or  female  being  could  long  en- 
joy full  happiness  in  the  absence  of  the  other  party.  What  an  un- 
happy, lonesome  place,  therefore,  the  orthodox  heaven  must  have 
been,  during  the  eternity  of  the  past,  with  no  society  but  old 
bachelors  ! The  Trinity  was  constituted  of  males  simply  because 
woman  has  always  been  considered  a mere  cipher  in  society  — 
a mere  tool  for  man’s  convenience,  an  appendage  to  his  wants. 
Hence,  instead  of  having  a place  among  the  Gods,  she  led  the 
practical  life  of  a servant  and  a menial,  which  accounts  for  her 
exclusion  from  the  Trinity.  But  the  time  is  coming  when  she 
will  rule  both  heaven  and  earth  with  the  omnipotent  power  of 
her  love-nature.  Then  we  shall  have  no  “war  in  heaven,” 
and  no  fighting  on  earth. 


166 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

ABSOLUTION,  AND  THE  CONFESSION  OF  SINS,  OF 
HEATHEN  ORIGIN. 

Some  Christian  writers  have  labored  to  make  it  appear  that 
this  is  exclusively  a Christian  doctrine,  while  others  have  labored 
as  hard  to  get  it  out  of  their  bible,  or  make  the  people  believe 
that  it  is  not  therein  taught.  We  shall  show,  upon  scriptural 
and  historical  authority,  that  both  are  wrong.  There  can  be  no 
question  as  to  this  rite  having  existed  outside  of  Christianity, 
or  of  its  being  much  older  than  Christianity.  History  proves 
both.  Nor  can  it  be  successfully  denied  that  it  is  taught  in  the 
Christian  Scriptures,  both  the  confessing  of  sins  and  that  of  for- 
giving sins.  The  apostle  James,  with  respect  to  the  former,  is 
quite  explicit.  He  enjoins,  emphatically,  “Confess  your  faults 
one  to  another,  and  pray  one  for  another.”  (James  v.  16.)  The 
practice  of  forgiving  sins  is  also  enjoined.  “Forgiving  one  an- 
other” is  recommended  both  in  Ephesians  (iv.  32)  and  Colos- 
sians  (iii.  13).  “And  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on  earth  shall 
be  loosed  in  heaven”  (Matt,  xviii.  18),  is  interpreted  as  con- 
ferring the  power  to  forgive  sins. 

And  then  we  remark  that  the  practices  both  of  confessing 
and  forgiving  sins  are  very  ancient  pagan  rites  and  customs. 
Speaking  of  their  prevalence  in  ancient  India,  the  author  of 
the  Anacalypsis  remarks,  “ The  person  offering  sacrifices  made 
a verbal  confession  of  his  sins,  and  received  absolution.”  Au- 
ricular confession  was  also  practiced  among  the  ancient  Mithri- 
acs,  or  Persians,  and  the  Parsees  proper  of  the  same  country. 
Mr.  Yolney  tells  us,  “They  observed  all  the  Christian  sacra- 
ments, even  to  the  laying  on  of  hands  in  the  confirmation.  (211.) 
And  the  Christian  Tertullian  also  tells  us  that  “ The  priests  of 


ABSOLUTION  AND  CONFESSION . 


16? 


Mithra  promised  absolution  from  sin  on  confession  and  bap- 
tism,” while  another  author  adds,  that  “on  such  occasions  Mithra 
marked  his  followers  (the  servants  of  God)  in  their  foreheads,” 
and  that  “he  celebrated  the  sacrifice  of  bread,  which  is  the 
resurrection.” 

In  the  collection  of  the  Jewish  laws  called  “The  Mishna,” 
we  are  told  the  Jews  confessed  their  sins  by  placing  their  hands 
upon  a calf  belonging  to  the  priest,  and  that  this  was  called 
“the  Confession  of  Calves.”  (See  Mishna,  tom.  ii.  p.  394.) 
Confessing  sins  was  practiced  in  ancient  Mexico;  also,  under 
Numa  of  Rome,  whose  priests,  we  are  informed,  had  to  clear 
their  consciences  by  confessing  their  sins  before  they  could 
offer  sacrifices.  The  practice  of  confessing  and  forgiving  sins 
as  recommended  in  the  Christian  bible,  and  practiced  by  some 
of  the  Christian  sects,  has  been  the  source  of  much  practical 
evil  by  furnishing  a pretext  and  license,  to  some  extent,  for  the 
commission  of  crime  and  sin.  While  sins  can  be  so  easily 
obliterated,  they  will  be  committed  — perpetrated  without  much 
remorse  or  restraint.  “ In  China  (says  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pitrat,  232), 
the  invocation  of  Omito  is  sufficient  to  remit  the  punishment 
of  the  greatest  crimes.”  The  same  author  tells  us,  “ The  an- 
cient initiations  of  the  pagans  had  tribunals  of  penance,  where 
the  priests,  under  the  name  of  Roes , heard  from  the  mouth  of 
the  sinners  themselves  the  avowal  of  their  sins  of  which  their 
souls  were  to  be  purified,  and  from  the  punishment  of  which 
they  wished  to  be  exempted.”  (Page  37.)  The  granting  of 
absolution  for  sin  or  misconduct  among  the  early  primitive 
Christians  was  so  common,  St.  Cyprian  informs  us,  that  “thou- 
sands of  reprieves  were  granted  daily,”  which  served  as  an 
indirect  license  to  crime.  And  thus  the  doctrine  of  divine  for- 
giveness, as  taught  by  pagans  and  Christians,  has  proved  to  be 
demoralizing  in  its  effects  upon  society. 


16S 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


CHAPTER  XXYI. 

ORIGIN  OP  BAPTISM  BY  WATER,  FIRE,  BLOOD, 
AND  THE  HOLY  GHOST. 

Baptism,  in  some  of  its  various  forms,  is  a very  ancient  rite, 
and  was  extensively  practiced  in  several  oriental  countries.  It 
was  administered  in  a great  variety  of  forms,  and  with  the  use 
of  different  elements.  Water  was  the  most  common,  but  fire 
and  air,  wind,  spirit,  or  ghost,  were  also  used ; and  both  the 
living  and  the  dead  were  made  the  subjects  of  its  solemn  and 
imposing  ceremonies.  We  will  notice  each  of  these  modes  of 
baptism  separately  — appropriating  a brief  space  to  each. 

I.  Baptism  by  Water. 

“ Baptism  by  water,”  says  Mr.  Higgins,  “ is  a very  old  rite, 
being  practiced  by  the  followers  of  Zoroaster,  by  the  Romans, 
the  Egyptians,  and  other  nations.”  It  was  also  in  vogue  among 
the  ancient  Hindoos  at  a still  earlier  date.  Their  mode  of  ad- 
ministering it  was  to  dip  the  candidate  for  immersion  three 
times  in  the  watery  element,  in  the  same  manner  as  is  now 
practiced  by  some  of  the  Christian  sects,  during  the  perform- 
ance of  which  the  hierophant  would  ejaculate  the  following 
prayer  and  ceremony:  uO  Lord,  this  man  is  impure,  like  the 
mud  of  this  stream  ! But  do  thou  cleanse  and  deliver  his  soul 
from  sin  as  the  water  cleanses  his  body.”  They  believed  that 
water  possessed  the  virtue  of  purifying  both  soul  and  body  — 
the  latter  from  filth,  and  the  former  from  sin.  The  ancient 
Mexicans,  Persians,  Hindoos,  and  Jews  were  in  the  habit  of 
baptizing  their  infants  soon  after  they  were  born.  And  the 
water  used  for  this  purpose  was  called  “ the  water  of  regenera- 


ORIGIN  OF  BAPTISM . 


169 


tion.”  Paul  speaks  of  being  “ saved  by  the  washing  of  regen- 
eration.” (See  Titus  iii.  5.)  Those  who  touched  these  infants 
before  they  were  baptized  were  deemed  impure.  And  as  this 
was  unavoidable  on  the  part  of  the  mothers,  they  were  required, 
as  in  the  cases  of  the  mothers  of  Chrishna  and  Christ,  to  pre- 
sent themselves  on  the  eighth  day  after  accouchement  to  the 
priest  in  the  temple  to  be.  purified.  The  Romans  chose  the 
eighth  day  for  girls  and  the  ninth  for  boys.  The  child  was 
usually  named  (christened)  at  the  time  it  was  baptized.  And 
in  India,  the  name,  or  God’s  name,  or  some  other  mark,  was 
engraven  or  written  on  the  forehead.  This  .custom  is  several 
times  recognized  in  the  Christian  bible,  both  in  the  Old  and  in 
the  New  Testament.  (See  Ezek.  ix.  4 ; Rev.  xiv.  9 ; xix.  20,  &c.) 
John  speaks  of  a mark  being  made  on  the  forehead.  (See  Rev* 
xiii.  16.)  Also  of  the  name  of  God  being  written  on  the  fore- 
head. (Rev.  iii.  12.) 

The  Dove  Descending  at  Baptism. 

At  this  stage  of  our  inquiry  it  may  be  stated  that  several  of 
the  ancient  religious  orders  had  the  legend  of  a dove  or  pigeon 
descending  at  baptism  — a counterpart  to  the  evangelical  story 
of  “ the  Spirit  of  God  descending  in  bodily  shape  like  a dove,” 
and  alighting  on  the  head  of  Jesus  Christ  while  being  baptized 
by  John  in  Jordan.  (See  Luke  iii.  22.)  It  will  be  observed 
here  that  the  spirit,  or  soul,  of  God  descended  not  only  in  the 
manner,  but  in  “ bodily  shape  like  a dove.”  This  accords  with 
the  tradition  anciently  prevalent  among  the  Hindoos,  Mexicans, 
Greeks,  Romans,  and  Persians,  or  Babylonians,  that  all  souls,  or 
spirits,  possessed,  or  were  capable  of  assuming,  the  form  of  a 
dove.  Hence  it  is  reported  of  Polycarp,  Semiram  is,  Caesar, 
and  others,  that  at  death  their  souls,  or  spirits,  were  seen  to 
leave  the  body  in  “bodily  shape  like  a dove”  and  ascend  to 
heaven.  “ The  Divine  Love,  or  Eros,”  says  Mr.  Higgins,  “was 
supposed  by  the  oriental  heathen  to  descend  often  in  the  form 
of  a dove  to  bless  the  candidate  for  baptism.”  These  tradi- 
tions, doubtless,  gave  rise  to  the  story  of  the  dove  descending 
at  Christ’s  baptism  — that  is,  God  in  the  shape  of  a dove,  lor 


170 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


that  is  clearly  the  meaning  of  the  text.  We  are  also  informed 
by  our  author  just  quoted,  that  a dove  stood  for  and  represent- 
ed, among  the  orientalists,  the  third  person  of  the  Trinity,  as 
it  does  in  the  gospel  story  of  Christ  — he  being  the  second 
member  of  the  Christian  Trinity  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost.  It  was  considered  “the  regenerator,  or  regenerating 
spirit,”  and  persons  being  baptized  were  said  to  be  “ born  again  ” 
into  the  spirit  or  the  spirit  into  them;  that  is,  the  dove  into  or 
upon  them. 

What  a master-key  is  furnished  by  these  oriental  religions 
for  solving  the  mysteries  of  the  Christian  bible ! How  much 
more  lucid  than  Divine  Revelation,  so  called  ! We  will  quote 
again  from  Higgins.  “ Among  all  nations,  from  the  very  earli- 
est period,  water  has  been  used  as  a species  of  religious  sacra- 
ment. Because,  as  it  dripped  from  the  clouds,  it  was  observed 
to  have  the  power  of  reviving  drooping  nature  and  creating 
anew,  or  regenerating,  the  whole  vegetable  kingdom  in  spring, 
it  was  hence  chosen  as  an  emblem  of  spiritual  regeneration  and 
a medium  of  baptism.  Water  was  the  element  by  means  of 
which  everything  was  born  again  through  the  agency  of  the 
Eros,  Dove,  or  Divine  Love.”  And  hence  the  ceremony  of  dip- 
ping, or  plunging  (or,  as  it  is  modernly  termed,  baptizing),  came 
into  vogue  for  the  remission  of  sins  and  “ the  regeneration  into 
a new  and  more  holy  life.”  Some  streams  were  suj>posed  to 
have  more  efficacy  in  these  respects  than  others.  Hence  nearly 
all  religious  nations  had  their  “Holy  Rivers,”  “Holy  Water,” 
“ Sacred  Pools,”  &c.  The  Hindoos  resorted  to  the  “ Holy  Gan- 
ges,” the  Egyptians  to  the  “ Holy  Nile,”  the  Chaldeans  and 
Persians  to  their  “ Holy  Euphrates,”  the  Greeks  to  their  “ Holy 
Lustral  Water,”  the  Italians  to  the  river  Po,  and  the  Jews  and 
Christians  to  their  holy  river  Jordan.  If  Jordan  was  not  called 
“ holy,”  it  was  undoubtedly  considered  so,  else  why  did  Elisha 
order  Naaman  to  wash  seven  times  in  that  stream  instead  of 
Damascus,  which  was  much  nearer  and  more  accessible?  And 
why  was  Christ  baptized  in  Jordan?  “And  all  the  land  of 
Judea,  and  they  of  Jerusalem,  were  baptized  in  Jordan,  con- 
fessing their  sins.”  (Matt.  iii.  6.)  Why,  as  several  streams  were 
handier  to  a large  portion  of  the  candidates,  simply  because 


ORIGIN  OF  BAPTISM. 


171 


Jordan  was  considered  to  be  “ more  holy.”  And  Christians 
had  their  sacred  pool  of  Bethesda,  as  the  Hindoos  had  their 
Sahar. 

The  rite  of  baptism  was  at  first  generally  practiced  in  caves, 
as  were  also  other  religious  rites ; and  as  these  caves  were  often 
difficult  of  access,  and  their  mouths,  doors,  or  gates  narrow  and 
difficult  to  enter,  they  fully  exemplify  Christ’s  declaration, 
“Strait  is  the  gate  and  narrow  is  the  way  that  leadeth  unto 
life.”  (Matt.  vii.  14.)  And  when  he  declared,  “Except  a man 
be  born  of  water  and  of  the  spirit  he  cannot  enter  the  king- 
dom of  heaven”  (John  iii.  5),  he  was  only  seconding  the  exhor- 
tation of  the  priests  to  enter  these  subterranean  vaults  and  be 
baptized  after  the  oriental  and  Jewish  custom.  Thus  originated 
baptism  by  water  in  the  form  of  dipping,  or  immersion. 

Baptism  by  Sprinkling. 

Owing  to  the  scarcity  of  water  in  some  countries,  and  its  en- 
tire absence  in  others,  and  the  fatal  effects  sometimes  resulting 
from  the  practice  of  baptizing  infants  and  invalids  by  immer- 
sion, a new  mode  of  baptism  eventually  sprung  up,  now  known 
as  “sprinkling,”  in  which  sometimes  water  and  sometimes  blood 
was  used.  Virgil,  Ovid,  and  Cicero  all  speak  of  its  prevalence 
amongst  the  ancient  Romans,  or  Latins.  We  are  informed  that 
the  ancient  Jews  practiced  it  upon  their  women  while  in  a state 
of  nudity,  the  ceremony  being  administered  by  three  rabbis,  or 
priests.  But  the  custom  finally  gave  way  to  one  more  conso- 
nant with  decorum.  Blood,  being  considered  “the  life  thereof” 
of  man,  was  deemed  more  efficacious  than  water,  and  hence  was 
often  used  in  lieu  of  that  element.  The  Greeks  kept  a “ holy 
vessel”  for  this  purpose,  known  as  the  Facina.  The  Romany 
used  a brush,  which  may  now  be  seen  engraven  upon  some  of 
their  ancient  coins,  and  sculptured  on  their  ancient  temples. 
The  Hindoos  and  Persians  used  a branch  of  laurel  or  some 
other  shrub  for  sprinkling  the  repentant  candidate,  whether 
water  or  blood  was  used.  In  some  countries  the  rite  was  prac- 
ticed as  a talisman  against  evil  spirits.  The  Mexicans  never 
approached  their  altars  without  sprinkling  them  with  blood 


172 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


drawn  from  their  own  bodies,  as  the  Jews  sprinkled  the  walls 
and  door-posts  of  their  temples  with  blood  under  the  requisition 
of  the  Levitical  code.  This  mode  of  fancied  purification  by 
sprinkling  either  with  water  or  blood  we  find  recognized,  and 
apparently  sanctioned,  in  the  Christian  bible,  both  in  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments.  Ezekiel  says,  “ I will  sprinkle  clean  water 
on  you.”  (Ezek.  xxxvi.  25.)  Peter  uses  the  phrase,  “ The 
sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.”  (1  Peter  i.  2.)  And 
Paul  makes  use  of  the  expression,  “ The  blood  of  sprinkling, 
that  speaketh  better  things  than  that  of  Abel”  (Heb.  xii.  24), 
which  we  regard  as  an  indirect  sanction  of  the  senseless  hea- 
then idea  of  effecting  spiritual  purification  by  drops  of  blood. 
(See  Potter’s  Antiquities  and  Herbert’s  Travels.) 

Baptism  by  Fiee. 

Baptism  by  fire  was  a form  or  mode  of  application  which 
seems  to  have  been  introduced  from  the  belief  that  it  was  pro- 
ductive of  a higher  degree  of  purification.  There  were  sev- 
eral ways  of  using  fire  in  the  baptismal  rite.  In  some  cases  the 
candidate  for  immortality  ran  through  blazing  streams  of  fire  — 
a custom  which  was  called  “ the  baptism  of  fire.”  M.  de  Hum- 
boldt, in  his  “ Views  of  the  Cordilleras  and  Monuments  of  Amer- 
ica,” informs  us  it  prevailed  in  India,  Chaldea,  and  Syria,  and 
throughout  eastern  Asia.  It  appears  to  have  been  gotten  up 
as  a substitute  for  sun-worship,  as  this  luminary  was  believed 
to  be  constituted  of  fire,  though  in  reality  there  never  was  any 
such  thing  as  sun  or  solar  worship.  Christian  writers  represent 
the  ancient  Persians  as  having  been  addicted  to  solar  worship. 
But  Firdausi,  Cudworth,  and  other  authors  declare  that  neither 
they  nor  any  other  nation  ever  worshiped  the  sun,  but  merely 
an  imaginary  Deity  supposed  to  reside  in  the  sun.  Heathen 
nations  have  been  charged  with  many  things  of  which  they  were 
not  guilty ; though  it  is  true  that  in  the  spirit  of  Christ’s  exhor- 
tation, “ Whosoever  loseth  his  life  for  my  sake  shall  find  it,” 
some  of  the  candidates  for  the  fiery  ordeal  voluntarily  sacrificed 
their  lives  in  the  operation,  under  the  persuasion  that  it  was 
necessary  to  purify  the  soul,  and  would  enable  them  to  ascend 


ORIGIN  OF  BAPTISM. 


173 


to  higher  posts  or  planes  of  enjoyment  in  the  celestial  world. 
And  some  of  them  were  taught  that  sins  not  expurgated  by 
fire,  or  some  other  efficaciously  renovating  process  in  this  life, 
would  be  punished  by  fire  in  the  life  to  come.  Here  we  will 
mention  that  there  is  a seeming  recognition  of  this  ancient  hea- 
then rite  in  both  departments  of  the  Christian’s  bible.  Isaiah 
says,  “When  thou  walkest  through  fire  thou  shalt  not  be 
burned.”  (lxiii.  2.)  And  the  Baptist  John  recognizes  three 
modes  of  baptism:  “I  indeed  baptize  you  with  water,  but  he 
that  cometh  after  me  shall  baptize  you  with  fire  and  the  Holy 
Ghost.”  (Matt.  iii.  11.)  And  Paul  teaches  the  necessity  of 
being  purified  by  fire.  (See  1 Cor.  iii.  15.)  So  it  is  both  a hea- 
then and  a Christian  idea. 

Baptism  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

This  fanciful  ceremony  is  both  a Christian  and  a heathen  rite, 
and  is  undoubtedly  of  heathen  origin.  The  mode  of  applying 
it  was  to  breathe  into  or  upon  the  seeker  for  divine  favors.  This 
was  done  by  the  priest,  who,  it  was  believed,  imparted  the  Spirit 
of  God  by  the  process.  The  custom,  Mr.  Herbert  informs  us, 
was  anciently  quite  common  in  oriental  countries,  and  was  at  a 
later  date  borrowed  by  Christ  and  his  apostles  and  incorporated 
into  the  Christian  ceremonies.  We  find  that  Christ  not  only 
sanctioned  it,  but  practiced  it,  as  it  is  declared  that  when  he 
met  his  disciples  after  his  resurrection  “he  breathed  on  them, 
and  saith  unto  them,  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost.”  (John  xx.  22.) 
And  the  following  language  of  Ezekiel  is  evidently  a sanction 
of  the  same  heathen  custom  : “Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Come 
from  the  four  winds,  O breath,  and  breathe  upon  these  slain, 
that  they  may  live.”  (xxxvii.  9.)  Let  it  be  borne  in  mind  here 
that  breath,  air,  wind,  spirit,  and  ghost  were  used  as  synonymous 
terms,  according  to  Mr.  Parkhurst  (see  Chap.  XXII.),  and  this 
breathing  was  supposed  to  impart  spiritual  life,  being  nothing 
less  than  the  Spirit  of  God,  the  same  as  that  breathed  into 
Adam  when  “he  became  a living  soul.”  (See  Gen.  ii.  7.)  For 
a fuller  exposition  see  Chapter  XXII. 


174 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


Baptism  of  or  for  the  Dead. 

It  was  customary  among  the  Hindoos  and  other  nations  to 
postpone  baptism  till  near  the  supposed  terminus  of  life,  in 
order  that  the  ablution  might  extinguish  all  the  sins  and  mis- 
deeds of  the  subject’s  earthly  probation.  But  it  sometimes 
happened  that  men  and  women  were  killed,  or  died  unexpect- 
edly, before  the  rite  was  administered.  And  as  it  would  not  do 
for  these  unfortunate  souls  to  be  deprived  of  the  benefit  of  this 
soul-saving  ordinance,  the  custom  was  devised  of  baptizing  the 
defunct  body,  or  more  commonly  some  living  person  in  its  stead. 
The  method  of  executing  the  latter  expedient,  according  to  St. 
Chrysostom,  was  to  place  some  living  person  under  the  bed  or 
couch  on  which  the  corpse  was  reclining,  when  the  defunct  was 
asked  if  he  would  be  baptized.  The  living  man,  responding  for 
the  dead,  answered  in  the  affirmative.  The  corpse  was  then 
taken  and  dipped  in  a vessel  prepared  for  the  purpose.  This 
silly  practice  was  in  vogue  among  the  early  Christians,  and  Paul 
seems  to  regard  it  as  an  important  custom.  “ Else  what  shall 
they  do  which  are  baptized  for  the  dead,  if  the  dead  rise  not  at 
all.”  (1  Cor.  xv.  9.)  The  inference  derivable  from  this  text  is, 
that  Paul  held  that  the  labor  of  baptizing  the  dead  would  be 
lost  in  the  event  of  the  falsification  of  the  doctrine  of  the  res- 
urrection, but  otherwise  it  would  be  valid  — which  evinces  his 
faith  in  the  senseless  and  superstitious  practice.  It  will  be  ob- 
served from  the  historical  exposition  of  this  chapter  that  all  the 
various  ancient  heathen  modes  and  rites  of  baptism  have  been 
practiced  by  Christians,  and  are  sanctioned  by  their  bible. 


THE  SACRAMENT  OF  HEATHEN  ORIGIN  175 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE  SACRAMENT  OR  EUCHARIST  OF  HEATHEN 
ORIGIN. 

At  the  feast  of  the  Passover,  Christ  is  represented,  while 
distributing  bread  to  his  disciples,  to  have  said,  “ Take,  eat ; this 
is  my  body”  (Matt.  xxvi.  26);  and  while  handing  round  the 
consecrated  cup,  he  enjoined,  “ Drink  ye  all  of  it,  for  this  is  my 
blood  of  the  new  covenant,  which  is  shed  for  many  for  the  re- 
mission of  sins”  (xxvi.  27).  Here  is  a very  clear  and  explicit 
indorsement  of  what  Is  generally  termed  “ the  Eucharist  or 
Sacrament.”  And  nothing  can  be  more  susceptible  of  proof 
than  that  this  rite  or  ordinance  is  of  pagan  origin,  and  was  prac- 
tically recognized  many  centuries  prior  to  the  dawn  of  the 
Christian  era.  So  we  observe,  by  the  text  above  quoted,  the 
Christian  Savior  and  Lawgiver  copied,  or  reproduced,  an  old 
pagan  rite  as  a part  of  his  professedly  new  and  spiritual  system, 
one  of  the  most  ancient  and  widely-extended  formulas  of  pagan- 
dom. And  stranger  still,  the  catechisms  of  the  Christian  church 
represent  this  ordinance  as  having  originated  in  the  design  and 
motive  to  keep  the  ancient  Christian  world  in  remembrance  of 
the  death,  and  sufferings,  and  sacrifice  of  Christ,  while  we  find  it 
existing  long  prior  to  his  time,  both  among  Jews  and  pagans, 
this  being  virtually  admitted  in  the  Bible  itself,  so  far  as  re- 
spects the  pagans,  thus  proving  that  it  did  not  originate  with 
Christ,  and  therefore  is  not  of  Christian  origin.  For  in  Gen. 
xiv.  18,  we  read,  “ And  Melchisedek,  king  of  Salem,  brought 
forth  bread  and  wine,  and  he  was  the  priest  of  the  Most  High 
God  ” Because  the  Melchisedek  here  spoken  of  is  represented 
as  being  “ a priest  of  the  Most  High  God,”  and  showed  so 


176 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


much  respect  to  Abraham,  it  is  presumed  and  assumed,  by 
Christian  writers,  that  he  was  a Jewish  priest  and  king;  and 
Mr.  Faber  (vol.  i.  p.  72)  calls  hirn  “an  incarnation  of  the 
son  of  God.”  But  there  is  no  intimation  throughout  the 
Jewish  Scriptures  of  the  Jews  ever  having  had  a king  or 
priest  by  that  name.  And  besides,  Eupolemus  (vol.  i.  p.  39), 
tells  us  that  the  temple  of  Melchisedek  was  the  temple  of  Jupi- 
ter, in  which  Pythagoras  studied  philosophy.  Then,  again, 
according  to  some  writers,  the  name  is  synonymous  with 
Moloch,  the  God  of  war  among  the  Greeks.  Strange,  then, 
that  Melchisedek  should  be  claimed  as  a priest  and  king  among 
the  Jews.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  case  proves  that  the  cere- 
mony of  offering  bread  and  wine  existed  long  before  the  era  of 
Jesus  Christ.  And  then  we  have  much  more  and  much  stronger 
proof  of  this  fact  than  is  here  furnished.  The  Christian  Mr. 
Faber  virtually  admits  it,  when  he  tells  us,  “ The  devil  led 
the  heathen  to  anticipate  Christ  with  respect  to  several  things, 
as  the  mysteries  of  the  Eucharist,”  &c.  “ And  this  very  so- 

lemnity (says  St.  Justin)  the  evil  spirit  introduced  into  the 
mysteries  of  Mithra.”  (Reeves>  Justin,  p.  86.)  Mr.  Higgins 
observes,  “ It  was  instituted  hundreds  of  years  before  the 
Lord’s  death  took  place.”  Amongst  the  ancient  religious 
orders  and  nations  who  practiced  this  rite,  we  may  name  the 
Essenes,  Persians,  Pythagoreans,  Gnostics,  Brahmins,  and 
Mexicans.  For  proof  of  its  existence  and  antiquity  among 
the  last-named  nation,  we  refer  the  reader  to  the  “ Travels  ” 
(chap,  ii.)  of  that  Christian  writer,  Father  Acosta.  Mr.  Ma- 
rolles,  in  his  Memoirs  (p.  215),  quotes  Tibullus  as  saying, 
“The  pagan  appeased  the  divinity  with  holy  bread.”  And 
Tibullus,  in  a panegyric  on  Marsella,  wrote,  “ A little  cake,  a 
little  morsel  of  bread,  appeased  the  divinities.”  And  here  we 
discover  the  idea  which  originated  the  ceremony.  It  was 
started,  like  animal  sacrifices,  for  the  purpose  of  appeasing  the 
wrath  or  propitiating  the  favor  of  the  angry  Gods.  Tracing 
the  conception  still  further  in  the  rear  of  its  progress,  and 
apparently  to  its  primary  inception, Mr.  Higgins  observes,  “The 
whole  paschal  supper  (the  Lord’s  supper  with  the  Christians) 
was  in  fact  a festival  of  joy  to  celebrate  the  passage  of  the  sun 


THE  SACRAMENT  OF  HEATHEN  ORIGIN.  177 


across  the  equinox  of  spring.”  We  find  one  pagan  writer  who 
had  intelligence  enough  to  ridicule  this  senseless  ceremonial 
custom,  called  “the  sacrament.”  Cicero,  some  forty  years 
before  Christ,  shows  up  the  doctrine  of  the  sacrament,  or  sub- 
stantiation, in  its  true  light.  He  asks,  “ How  can  a man  be  so 
stupid  as  to  imagine  that  which  he  eats  to  be  a God  ? ” A 
writer  quoted  above  says,  “Mass,  or  the  sacrifice  of  bread  and 
wine,  was  common  to  many  ancient  nations.”  (Anac.  vol.  ii. 
p.  62.)  According  to  Alnetonae,  the  ancient  Brahmins  had  a 
kind  of  Eucharist  called  “prajadam .”  And  the  same  writer 
informs  us  that  the  ancient  Peruvians,  “after  sacrificing  a 
lamb,  mingled  his  blood  with  flour,  and  distributed  it  among 
the  people.”  Writers  on  Grecian  mythology  relate  that  Ceres, 
the  goddess  of  corn,  gave  her  flesh  to  eat,  and  that  Bacchus,  the 
God  of  wine,  gave  blood  to  drink.  N or  is  there  any  evidence 
that  Christ  and  his  followers  made  a better  use,  or  different 
use,  or  a more  spiritual  application,  of  the  sacrament,  or  cere- 
monial offering  of  bread  and  w ine,  than  the  pagans  did,  though 
some  have  claimed  this.  It  was  a species  of  symbolism  with 
both,  notwithstanding  Mr.  Glover,  a Christian  writer,  de- 
clares, that  “in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar  are  the  natural  body 
and  blood  of  Christ,  verily  and  indeed.”  (See  Glover’s  Remarks 
on  Bishop  Marsh’s  Compendious  Review.)  It  may  be  noted 
here,  that  the  Persians,  Pythagoreans,  Essenes,  and  Gnostics 
used  water  instead  of  wine,  and  that  this  mode  of  practice  w7as 
less  objectionable  than  that  of  the  Christians,  who  (as  sad  ex- 
perience proves)  have  too  often  laid  the  foundation  for  the 
ruin  of  some  poor  unsuspecting  devotee,  by  luring  him  to  the 
fatal  fascination  of  the  intoxicating  bowl,  by  holding  the  sacred 
and  ceremonial  wine  to  his  lips,  while  administering  the  sacra- 
ment, or  the  Lord’s  supper. 

12 


178 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

ANOINTING  WITH  OIL  OF  ORIENTAL  ORIGIN. 

The  custom  and  ceremony  of  anointing  with  oil  by  way  of 
imparting  some  fancied  spiritual  power  and  religious  qualifica- 
tion, seem  to  have  been  extensively  practiced  by  the  Jews 
and  primitive  Christians,  and  still  more  anciently  by  various  ori- 
ental nations.  Mark  (xiv.  4),  reports  Jesus  Christ  as  speaking 
commendingly  of  the  practice,  by  which  it  is  evident  he  was  in 
favor  of  the  superstitious  custom.  The  apostle  James  not  only 
sanctions  it,  but  recommends  it  in  the  most  specific  language. 
“ Is  any  sick  among  you,  let  him  call  for  the  elders  of  the 
church,  and  let  them  pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord.”  (James  v.  14.)  The  practice  of 
greasing  or  smearing  with  oil,  it  may  be  noted  here,  was  in 
vogue  from  other  motives  besides  the  one  here  indicated.  We 
find  the  statement  in  the  New  American  Cyclopedia  (vol.  i.  p. 
620),  that  “ anointing  with  perfumed  oil  was  in  common  use 
among  the  Greeks  and  Romans  as  a mark  of  hospitality  to 
guests.  And  modern  travelers  in  the  East  still  find  it  a custom 
lor  visitors  to  be  sprinkled  with  rose-water,  or  their  head,  face, 
and  beard  anointed  with  olive  oil.”  “Anointing,  we  are  also  told, 
is  an  ancient  and  still  prevalent  custom  throughout  the  East, 
by  pouring  aromatic  oils  on  persons  as  a token  of  honor.  . . . 
It  was  also  employed  in  consecrating  priests,  prophets,  and 
kings,  and  the  places  and  instruments  appointed  for  worship.” 
(Ibid.)  Joshua  anointed  the  ten  stones  he  set  up  in  Jordan, 
and  Jacob  the  stone  on  which  he  slept  at  the  time  of  his  great 
vision.  The  early  Christians  were  in  the  habit  of  anointing 
the  altars,  and  even  the  walls  of  the  churches,  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  the  images,  obelisks,  statues,  &c.,  had  long  been  conse- 


ORIGIN  OF  ANOINTING  WITH  OIL . 


170 


crated  by  the  devotees  of  the  oriental  systems.  Aaron,  Saul, 
David,  Solomon,  and  even  Jesus  Christ  were  anointed  with 
oil  in  the  same  way.  David  Malcom,  in  his  “Essay  on  the 
Antiquity  of  the  Britons,”  p.  144,  says,  “ The  Mexican  king 
was  anointed  with  Holy  Unction  by  the  high  priest  while 
dancing  before  the  Lord.”  ( Vide  the  case  of  David  “ dancing 
before  the  Lord  with  all  his  might.”)  Dr.  Lightfoot,  in  his 
“Harmony  of  the  New  Testament,”  speaks  of  the  custom 
among  the  Jews  of  anointing  the  sick  on  the  Sabbath  day  (see 
Works,  vol.  i.  p.  333  ; also  Toland,  Sect.  Naz.  p.  54),  as  after- 
wards recommended  by  the  apostle  James,  as  shown  above. 
This  accords  exactly  with  the  method  of  treating  the  sick  in 
ancient  India  and  other  heathen  countries  several  thousand 
years  ago.  For  proof,  consult  Hyde,  Bryant,  Tertullian,  and 
other  writers.  The  custom  of  anointing  the  sick,  accompanied 
with  prayer  and  other  ceremonies,  was  quite  fashionable  in  the 
East  long  before  the  birth  of  either  Jesus  or  James.  One 
writer  testifies  that  “ the  practice  of  anointing  with  oil,  so 
much  in  vogue  among  the  Jews,  and  sanctioned  by  Christ  and 
his  followers,  was  held  in  high  esteem  in  nearly  all  the  Eastern 
religions.”  The  foregoing  historical  facts  furnish  still  fuither 
proof  that  Christianity  is  the  offspring  of  heathenism. 


180 


THE  WORLD’S  SAVIORS. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

HOW  MEN,  INCLUDING  JESUS  CHRIST,  CAME 
TO  BE  WORSHIPED  AS  GODS. 

Jesus  Christ  a Demigod  according  to  Christian 
Writers. 

It  is  truly  surprising  to  observe  the  damaging  concessions 
of  some  of  the  early  Christian  writers,  ruinous  to  the  dogmas 
of  their  own  faith  with  respect  to  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ, 
placing  him,  as  they  do,  on  an  exact  level  with  the  heathen 
demigods,  proving  that  the  belief  in  his  divinity  originated  in 
the  same  manner  the  belief  in  theirs  did,  by  which  it  is  clearly 
shown  to  be  a pagan-derived  doctrine.  Several  Christian 
writers  admit  the  belief  in  earth-born  Gods  (called  Sons  of 
Gods),  and  their  coming  into  the  world  by  human  birth  was 
prevalent  among  the  heathen  long  prior  to  the  time  of  Christ. 
Hear  the  proof.  We  will  first  quote  St.  Justin  relative  to  the 
prevalence  of  the  belief  among  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans. 
Addressing  them,  he  says,  “The  title  of  Son  of  God  (as  applied 
to  Jesus  Christ)  is  very  justifiable  upon  the  account  of  his 
wisdom,  considering  you  have  your  Mercury  in  your  worship, 
under  the  title  of  Word  or  Messenger  of  God.”  (Reeves  Apol. 
p.  76.)  Here  is  the  proof  that  the  tradition  of  the  Son  of  God 
coming  into  the  world,  and  “the  Word  becoming  flesh,”  was 
established  amongst  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans  long 
prior  to  the  era  of  Christianity,  or  the  birth  of  Christ.  And 
yet  more  than  a hundred  millions  of  Christian  professors  can 
now  be  found,  who,  in  their  historic  ignorance,  suppose  St. 
John  was  the  first  writer  who  taught  the  doctrine  of  “the 
Word  becoming  flesh,”  and  that  Jesus  Christ  was  “the  first 


WORSHIP  OF  MEN  AS  GODS. 


181 


and  only  begotten  Son  of  God  ” who  ever  made  his  appearance 
on  earth.  How  true  it  is  that  “ ignorance  is  the  mother  of 
devotion”  to  creeds.  How  “the  man  Christ  Jesus”  came  to 
be  worshiped  as  a God,  is  pretty  clearly  indicated  by  Bishop 
Horne,  who  shows  that  the  doctrine  of  the  incarnation  was  of 
universal  prevalence  long  before  Jesus  Christ  came  in  the 
flesh.  He  says,  “ That  God  should,  in  some  extraordinary  man- 
ner, visit  and  dwell  with  man,  is  an  idea,  which,  as  we  read 
the  writings  of  the  ancient  heathen,  meets  us  in  a thousand 
different  forms.”  If,  then,  the  tradition  of  God  being  born  into 
the  world  was  so  universally  established  in  heathen  countries 
before  the  Christian  era,  as  here  shown,  why  should  not,  and 
why  will  not,  our  good  Christian  brethren  dismiss  their  preju- 
dices, and  tear  the  scales  from  their  eyes,  so  as  to  see  that  this 
universal  belief  wTould  as  naturally  lead  to  the  deification  and 
worship  of  “ the  man  Christ  Jesus”  as  water  flows  down  a 
descending  plane  ? And,  certainly,  a thousand  times  more 
reasonable  is  the  assumption  that  his  deification  originated  in 
this  way,  than  that,  with  all  his  frailties  and  foibles,  he  was  en- 
titled to  the  appellation  of  a God  — a conclusion  strongly  cor- 
roborated by  the  testimony  of  that  able  Christian  writer,  Mr. 
Norton,  who  tells  us  that  “many  of  the  first  Christians  being 
converts  from  Gentileism,  their  imaginations  were  familiar  with 
the  reputed  incarnation  of  heathen  deities.”  How  natural  it 
would  be  for  such  converts  to  worship  “the  man  Christ  Jesus” 
as  a God  on  account  of  his  superior  manhood  l Again,  that 
ancient  pillar  of  the  Christian  church,  St.  Justin,  concedes  that 
the  ancient  oriental  heathen  held  all  the  cardinal  doctrines  of 
the  Christian  faith  relating  to  the  incarnation  long  prior  to  the 
introduction  and  establishment  of  Christianity.  Hear  him. 
Addressing  the  pagans,  he  says,  “For  by  declaring  the  Logos 
the  first  begotten  Son  of  God,  our  Master,  Jesus  Christ,  to  be 
born  of  a virgin  without  any  human  mixture,* and  to  be  cruci- 
fied, and  dead,  and  to  have  risen  again  into  heaven,  we  say  no 
more  in  this  than  what  you  say  of  those  whom  you  style  the 
sons  of  Jove.”  (Reeves,  Apol.  vol.  i.  p.  69.)  Now,  Christian 
reader,  mark  the  several  important  admissions  which  are  made 
here : — 


182 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


1.  Here  is  traced  to  ancient  heathen  tradition  the  belief  in 
an  incarnate  Son  of  God. 

2.  The  doctrine  of  a “first  begotten  Son  of  God.” 

3.  Of  his  being  born  of  a virgin. 

4.  Of  his  crucifixion. 

5.  Of  his  resurrection. 

6.  Of  his  final  ascension  into  heaven. 

All  these  cardinal  doctrines  of  Christianity  are  here  shown 
to  have  been  in  existence,  and  to  have  been  preached  by  pagan 
priests  long  anterior  to  the  Christian  era,  thus  entirely  overset- 
ting the  common  belief  of  Christendom  that  these  doctrines 
were  never  known  or  preached  in  the  world  until  heralded  by 
the  first  disciples  of  the  Christian  religion.  A fatal  mistake, 
truly  ! This  suicidal  admission  of  St.  Justin  (a  standard  Chris- 
tian writer)  thus  entirely  uptrips  all  pretensions  to  originality 
in  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith,  and  shows 
it  to  be  a mere  travesty  of  the  more  ancient  heathen  systems. 
And  we  have  still  other  testimony  to  corroborate  this  conclu- 
sion. The  French  writer  Bazin  says,  “ The  most  ancient  his- 
tories are  those  of  Gods  becoming  incarnate  in  order  to  govern 
mankind.”  Again  he  says,  “ The  idea  sprang  up  everywhere 
from  confused  ideas  of  God,  which  prevailed  everywhere  among 
mankind  that  Gods  formerly  descended  upon  earth.  The  fertile 
imagination  of  the  people  of  various  nations  converted  men 
into  Gods.”  And  to  the  same  effect  is  the  declaration  of  Mr. 
Higgins,  that  “ there  were  incarnate  Gods  in  all  religions.” 
Sadly  beclouded  and  warped  indeed  must  be  that  mind  which 
cannot  see  that  here  is  set  in  as  plain  view  as  the  cloudless  sun 
at  noonday,  the  origin  of  the  deification  of  “the  man  Christ 
Jesus.”  No  unbiased  mind  can  possibly  slave  off  the  conclu- 
sion that  such  a universal  prevalence  of  the  practice  of  God- 
making throughout  the  religious  world  would  cause  such  a 
man  as  Jesus  Christ  to  be  worshiped  as  a God — especially 
when  we  look  at  the  various  motives  which  promoted  men  to 
Gods,  which  we  will  now  present. 


WORSHIP  OF  MEN  AS  GODS. 


183 


Motives  to  Incarnation,  or  the  Cause  of  Men  being 

WORSHIPED  AS  GODS. 

The  causes  which  led  to  the  conception  of  Gods  and  Sons 
of  God  becoming  clothed  in  human  flesh  — the  manner  in 
which  the  absurd  idea  originated  of  an  infinite  being  descend- 
ing from  heaven,  assuming  the  form  of  a man,  being  born  of  a 
pure  and  spotless  virgin,  and  finally  being  killed  by  his  own 
children,  the  subjects  of  his  own  government,  are  palpably  plain 
and  easily  understood  in  the  light  of  oriental  history.  And  at 
the  same  time  it  is  so  shockingly  absurd,  that  the  rapid  march 
of  science  and  civilization  will  soon  inaugurate  the  era  when 
the  man  or  woman  who  shall  still  be  found  clinging  to  these 
childish  and  superstitious  conceptions  — the  offspring  of  igno- 
rance, and  the  relics  of  barbarism,  and  a certain  proof  of  unde- 
veloped or  unenlightened  minds  — will  be  looked  upon  as  deplo- 
rably ignorant  and  superstitious.  We  will  proceed  to  enumer- 
ate some  of  the  causes  which  promoted  men  to  the  dignity 
of  Gods. 

1.  God  must  come  down  to  suffer  and  sympathize  with  the 
people. 

The  people  of  all  ancient  religious  countries  were  so  exter- 
nally-minded, that  they  demanded  a God  whom  they  could 
know  by  virtue  of  his  corporeity,  really  sympathized  with  their 
sorrows,  their  sufferings,  their  wrongs,  and  their  oppressions, 
and,  like  Jesus  Christ,  “touched  with  a feeling  of  our  infirmi- 
ties” (Heb.  iv.  15)  — a God  so  far  invested  with  human  attri- 
butes, human  frailties,  and  human  sympathies,  that  he  could 
shoulder  their  burdens  and  their  infirmities,  and  take  upon 
himself  a portion  of  their  sufferings.  Hence  it  is  said  of  Christ, 
“himself  took  our  infirmities.”  (Matt.  iii.  17.)  The  same 
conception  runs  through  the  pagan  systems.  One  writer  sets 
forth  the  matter  thus : “ The  Creator  occasionally  assumed  a 
mortal  form  to  assist  mankind  in  great  emergencies”  (as  Jesus 
Christ  was  afterward  reported  as  being  the  Creator.  See  Col. 
i.  16.)  “ And  as  repealed  sojourners  on  earth  in  various  capa- 

cities, they  (the  Saviors)  became  practically  acquainted  with  all 


184 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


the  sorrows  and  temptations  of  humanity,  and  couldjustly  judge 
of  its  sins  while  they  sympathized  with  its  weaknesses  and 
its  sufferings.  When  they  again  returned  to  the  higher  regions 
(heaven),  they  remembered  the  lower  forms  they  had  dwelt 
amongst,  and  felt  a lively  interest  in  the  world  they  had  once 
inhabited.  They  could  penetrate  even  the  secret  thoughts  of 
mortals.”  The  people  then  demanding  a God  of  sympathy  and 
suffering  (as  shown  above),  their  credulous  imaginations  would 
not  be  long  in  finding  one.  Let  a man  rise  up  in  society  en- 
dowed with  an  extraordinary  degree  of  spirituality  and  sym- 
pathy for  human  suffering;  let  him,  like  Chrishna,  Pythag- 
oras, Christ,  and  Mahomet,  spend  his  time  in  visiting  the 
hovels  of  the  poor,  or  consoling  their  sorrows,  laboring  to  miti- 
gate their  griefs,  and  in  performing  acts  of  charity,  disinterested 
alms  and  deeds  of  benevolence,  kindness  and  love,  and  so  cer- 
tain would  he  sooner  or  later  command  the  homage  of  a God. 
For  this  was  always  the  mode  adopted,  in  an  ignorant,  unde- 
veloped, and  unenlightened  age,  for  accounting  not  merely  for 
moral  greatness,  but  for  every  species  of  mental  and  physical 
superiority,  as  will  be  hereafter  shown.  We  will  proceed  to 
notice  the  second  cause  of  men  being  invested  with  divine 
attributes. 

2.  The  people  must  and  would  have  an  external  God  they 
could  see,  hear,  and  talk  to. 

All  the  oriental  nations,  as  well  as  Christian,  taught  that 
“God  was  a spirit,”  but  no  nation  or  class  of  people,  not  even 
the  founders  of  Christianity,  entertained  a consistent  view  of 
the  doctrine.  Only  a few  learned  philosophers  saw  the  scien- 
tific impossibility  of  an  infinite  spirit  being  crowded  into  the 
human  form.  Hence  they  alone  were  contented  to  “ worship 
God  in  spirit  and  in  truth.”  Every  religious  nation  went  counter 
to  the  spirit  of  this  injunction  in  worshiping  for  a God  a being 
in  the  human  form.  Even  the  founders  of  Christianity,  though 
making  high  claims  to  spirituality,  were  too  gross,  too  sensuous 
in  their  conceptions,  too  externally-minded,  and  too  idolatrous 
in  their  feelings  and  proclivities,  to  be  content  to  “ worship  God 
in  spirit.”  Hence  their  deification  of  the  “man  Christ  Jesus v 


WORSHIP  OF  MEN  AS  GOBS. 


185 


to  answer  the  requisition  of  an  external  worship,  by  which 
they  violated  the  command  to  “ worship  God  as  a spirit .” 

That  the  practice  of  promoting  men  to  the  Godhead  origi- 
nated with  minds  on  the  external  plane,  and  evinces  a want  of 
spiritual  development,  is  clearly  set  forth  by  the  author  of 
“The  Nineteenth  Century0  (a  Christian  writer),  who  tells  us, 
“The  idea  of  the  primitive  ages  were  wholly  sensuous,  and  the 
masses  did  not  believe  in  anything  except  that  which  they 
could  touch,  see,  hear,  and  taste.”  A true  description,  no 
doubt,  of  the  ancient  pagan  worshipers  of  demigods.  But  we 
warn  the  Christian  reader  not  to  cast  anchor  here,  for  we  have 
at  our  elbow  abundance  of  Christian  testimony  from  the  pens 
of  the  very  oracles  of  the  church  to  prove  that  the  same  state 
of  things,  the  same  state  of  society,  the  same  state  of  mind,  the 
same  proclivity  for  God-making,  existed  with  the  people  among 
whom  Christ  was  born,  and  that  it  was  owing  to  this  sensuous, 
idolatrous  state  of  mind  among  his  disciples  that  he  received 
the  homage  and  title  of  a God.  Hence  the  famous  Archbishop 
Tillotson  says,  “Another  very  common  notion,  and  rife  in  the 
heathen  world,  and  a great  source  of  their  idolatry,  was  their 
deification  of  great  men  fit  to  be  worshiped  as  Gods.”  . . . 
“ There  was  a great  inclination  in  mankind  to  the  worship  of  a 
visible  Deity.  So  God  was  pleased  to  appear  in  our  nature, 
that  they  who  were  so  fond  of  a visible  Deity  might  have  one, 
even  a true  and  natural  incarnation  of  God  the  Father,  the 
express  image  of  his  person.”  Now,  we  enjoin  the  reader  to 
mark  this  testimony  well,  and  impress  it  indelibly  upon  his 
memory.  According  to  this  orthodox  Christian  bishop,  Jesus 
Christ  appeared  on  earth  as  a God  in  condescension  to  the 
wishes  of  a people  too  devoid  of  spirituality,  and  too  strongly 
inclined  to  idolatry,  to  worship  God  as  a spirit.  For  he 
admits  the  worship  of  a God-man  or  a man-God  is  a species  of 
idolatry.  This  tells  the  whole  story  of  the  apotheosis  of  “the 
man  Christ  Jesus.”  We  have  no  doubt  but  that  here  is  sug- 
gested one  of  the  true  causes  of  his  elevation  to  the  Deityship. 
Again  he  says,  “The  world  was  mightily  bent  on  addressing 
their  requests  and  supplications,  not  to  the  Deity  immediately, 
but  by  some  Mediator  between  the  Gods  and  men”  (See 


186 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


Wadsworth’s  Eccles.  Biog.  p.  172.)  Here,  then,  we  ha^  e the 
most  conclusive  proof  that  the  belief  in  mediators  is  of  pagan 
origin.  We  will  now  hear  from  another  archbishop  on  this 
subject.  In  his  “Caution  to  the  Times”  (p.  71),  Archbishop 
Whately  says,  “ As  the  Infinite  Being  is  an  object  too  remote 
and  incomprehensible  for  our  minds  to  dwell  upon,  he  has 
manifested  himself  in  his  Son,  the  man  Jesus  Christ.”  Precisely 
so!  just  the  kind  of  reasoning  employed  to  account  for  the 
worship  of  man-Gods  among  the  heathen.  This  logic  fits  one 
case  as  well  as  the  other.  The  Christian  writer  F.  D.  Maurice 
declares  in  like  manner,  “We  accept  the  fact  of  the  incarnation 
(of  Jesus  Christ),  because  we  feel  that  it  is  impossible  to  know 
the  absolute  invisible  God  without  an  incarnation,  as  man  needs 
to  know  him,  and  craves  to  know  him.”  (Logical  Essay,  p.  79.) 
Here  is  more  pagan  logic  — the  same  reasoning  they  employed 
to  prove  the  divinity  of  their  Saviors  and  demigods.  And  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  Arnold  declares,  “It  (the  incarnation  of 
Christ)  was  very  necessary,  especially  at  a time  when  men 
were  so  accustomed  to  worship  their  highest  Gods  under  the 
form  of  men .”  (Sermon  on  Christian  Life,  p.  61.)  Let  the 
reader  attentively  observe  the  explicit  avowal  here  made,  and 
mark  well  its  pregnant  inferences.  He  makes  Jesus  Christ 
come  into  the  world  in  condescension  to  the  idolatrous  rivalry 
of  the  Jews  to  be  up  with  the  heathen  nations  in  worshiping 
God  in  the  form  of  man  ; that  is,  the  founders  of  Christianity, 
having  been  Jews,  disclosed  the  true  Jewish  character  in  run- 
ning after  and  adopting  the  customs  of  heathen  countries  then 
so  rife  — that  of  hunting  up  a great  man,  and  making  him  a God 
— which  was  only  one  case  out  of  many  of  the  Jews  adopting 
some  of  the  numerous  forms  of  idolatry  and  other  religious 
customs  of  their  heathen  neighbors.  Their  whole  history,  as 
set  forth  in  the  Bible,  proves,  as  we  have  shown  in  another 
chapter,  that  they  were  strongly  prone  to  such  acts.  It  is  not 
strange,  therefore,  that  they  should  and  did  convert  “the  man 
Christ  Jesus”  into  a God.  We  will  now  listen  to  another 
Christian  writer,  the  notable  and  noteworthy  Dr.  T.  Cham- 
bers. “ Whatever  the  falsely  or  superstitiously  fearful  imagina- 
tion conjures  up  because  of  God  being  at  a distance ) can  only  be 


WORSHIP  OF  MEN  AS  GODS. 


187 


dispelled  by  God  being  brought  nigh  to  us.  . . . The  vail  which 
hides  the  unseen  God  from  the  eyes  of  mortals  must  be  some- 
how withdrawn.”  (Select  Works,  vol.  iii.  p.  161.)  Most  significant 
indeed  is  this  species  of  reasoning.  It  is  the  same  kind  of 
logic  which  had  led  to  the  promotion  of  more  than  a score  of 
great  men  to  the  Godhead  among  the  ancient  heathen.  “ The 
vail  which  hides  the  unseen  God  must  be  removed ,”  says  Dr. 
Chambers  ; and  so  had  reasoned  in  soliloquy  a thousand  pagans 
long  before,  when  determined  to  worship  men  for  Gods . It  is 
simply  saying,  “ We  are  too  carnally-minded  to  worship  God  in 
spirit ; we  must  and  will  have  a God  of  flesh  and  blood  — a God 
who  can  be  recognized  by  the  external  senses  ; he  must  “become 
flesh,  and  dwell  amongst  us.”  (See  John  i.  14.)  Our  author 
continues  : “ Now  all  this  (removing  the  vail  from  the  unseen 
God)  has  been  done  once,  and  done  only  once  in  the  person  of 
Jesus  Christ.”  {Ibid.)  Mistake , most  fatal  mistake,  brother 
Chambers!  It  has  been  done  more  than  a score  of  times  in 
various  heathen  countries  — a fact  which  proves  you  ignorant  of 
oriental  history.  Now  let  the  reader  mark  the  foregoing  cita- 
tions from  standard  Christian  authors,  setting  forth  some  of 
the  reasons  which  led  the  founders  of  Christianity  to  adopt  a 
visible  man-God  in  their  worship  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Language  could  hardly  be  used  to  prove  more  conclusively 
that  the  whole  thing  grew  out  of  an  idolatrous  proclivity  to 
man-worship,  — that  is,  the  gross,  sensuous,  carnally-minded  pro- 
pensity to  worship  an  external,  visible  God,  — proving,  with  the 
corroborative  evidence  of  many  other  facts,  that  they  were  not 
a whit  above  the  heathen  in  spiritual  development.  The  reason 
employed  by  the  Thibetan  for  the  worship  of  the  Hindoo 
Chrishna  as  a God,  tells  the  whole  story  of  the  worship  and 
deification  of  Jesus  Christ.  “We  could  not  always  have  God 
behind  the  clouds ; so  we  had  him  come  down  where  we  could 
see  him.”  This  is  the  same  kind  of  reasoning  made  use  of  by 
the  Christian  writer  above  quoted,  all  of  which  discloses  a state 
of  mind  among  both  heathen  and  Christians  that  would  not 
long  rest  satisfied  without  deifying  somebody,  in  order  to  have 
a visible  God  to  worship.  And  hence  Christians  deified  “ the 
man  Christ  Jesus”  for  this  purpose.  “The  more  externally 


188 


'HE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


minded  (says  Fleurbach),  the  greater  was  the  determination  to 
worship  a personal  God  ” — God  in  the  form  of  man.  And  as 
the  Jewish  founders  of  Christianity  (as  every  chapter  of  their 
history  demonstrates)  were  dwelling  on  the  external  plane,  it 
was  not  an  act  of  direct  innovation,  therefore,  for  them  to  fall 
into  the  habit  of  worshiping  the  personal  Jesus  as  a God.  It 
involved  no  serious  incursion  on  previous  thoughts  or  habits. 
And  warped  and  blinded,  indeed,  must  be  that  mind  which 
cannot  here  discover  the  true  key  to  the  apotheosis  of  Jesus  — 
one  of  the  real  causes  of  his  being  stripped  of  his  manhood,  and 
advanced  to  the  Godhead.  It  was  as  naturally  to  be  expected 
from  the  then  state  of  the  religious  world,  and  the  state  of  the 
Jewish  mind  concerned  in  the  founding  of  Christianity,  as  that 
an  autumnal  crop  of  fruit  should  succeed  the  bloom  of  spring. 
Let  it  be  specially  noted,  that  all  the  Christian  writers  above 
cited  tell  us,  in  effect,  that  God  sent  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  into 
the  world  to  be  worshiped  as  a God  in  condescension  to  the 
ignorance  and  superstitious  tendencies,  and  we  will  add,  idola- 
trous proclivities  of  the  people.  From  this  stand-point  we 
challenge  the  world  to  show  why  God  may  not  have  sent  the 
oriental  Saviors  into  the  world  for  the  same  reason  — that  is, 
in  condescension  to  the  prejudices  of  the  devout  worshipers 
under  the  heathen  systems.  Why,  then,  is  there  not  as  much 
probability  that  he  did  do  so?  Why  would  he  not  be  as  likely 
to  accommodate  their  ignorance  and  prejudices  in  this  way  as 
those  of  the  founders  of  the  Christian  system.  This  question 
we  shall  keep  standing  before  the  Christian  world  till  it  is 
answered,  and  we  challenge  them  to  meet  it,  and  overthrow  it 
if  they  can. 

3.  Men  deified  on  account  of  mental  and  moral  superiority. 

The  ancient  nations,  in  their  entire  ignorance  of  the  philoso- 
phy of  the  human  mind,  and  the  laws  controlling  its  actions, 
always  accounted  for  the  appearance  of  great  men  amongst 
them  by  supposing  them  to  be  Gods.  Every  country  occasion- 
ally produced  a man,  who,  by  virtue  of  natural  superiority,  rose 
so  high  in  the  scale  of  moral  and  intellectual  greatness  as  to 
fill  the  ideal  of  the  people  with  respect  to  the  characteristics  of 
a God.  So  low,  so  limited,  so  narrow,  so  greatly  circumscribed 


WORSHIP  OF  MEN  AS  GODS . 


189 


were  the  conceptions  of  deity,  of  the  undeveloped  and  ir  tel- 
lectually  dwarfed  minds  of  all  religious  countries  in  that  age, 
that  a man  had  to  rise  but  a few  degrees  above  the  common 
level  of  the  populace  to  become  a God.  He  could  “ easily  fill 
the  bill,”  and  exhibit  all  the  qualities  they  assigned  to  the 
highest  God  in  the  heavens.  And  this  is  as  true  of  the  Jewish 
mind  as  that  of  any  other  nation,  a portion  of  whom  adored 
Jesus  as  a God.  Or  if  they  lacked  anything  in  natural  inclina- 
tion, they  made  it  up  by  imitation,  a propensity  which  they 
possessed  in  no  small  degree,  that  is,  a proneness  to  imitate  the 
customs  of  other  nations.  Mr.  Higgins  tells  us  that  “ men  of 
brilliant  intellects  and  high  moral  attainments,  and  great  heal- 
ers (of  which  Christ  was  one),  were  almost  certain  to  be  dei- 
fied.” In  like  manner  Archbishop  Tillotson  says,  “ They  dei- 
fied famous  and  eminent  persons  by  advancing  them  after  their 
death  to  the  dignity  of  an  inferior  kind  of  Gods  fit  to  be  wor- 
shiped by  men  on  earth.”  Mark  the  expression,  “ after  their 
death”  We  have  shown  in  another  chapter  that  Jesus  Christ 
was  not  generally  considered  a God,  even  by  his  followers,  till 
more  than  three  hundred  years  after  his  death,  when  Constan- 
tine declared  him  to  be  u God  of  very  God  ” — a circumstance 
of  itself  sufficient  to  establish  the  conclusion  that  he  did  not 
possess  this  character.  A God  would  be  adored  as  such  by 
everybody  while  living , but  a man’s  worshipers  rise  up  after  his 
death , as  in  the  case  of  “ the  man  Christ  Jesus.”  Great  men- 
tal endowments,  or  great  moral  attainments,  would,  in  most 
countries,  bring  the  most  ignorant  down  on  their  knees  to  wor- 
ship such  a man  as  a God.  But  it  required  years,  and  some- 
times centuries,  to  get  him  fully  established  among  the  Gods. 
This  is  as  true  of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  other  human-descended 
deities.  Whatever  amount  of  homage  Jesus  might  have  re- 
ceived while  living,  any  person  who  will  institute  a thorough, 
unbiased  scrutiny  in  the  case  will  discover  that  it  was  his  great 
healing  powers  and  superior  mental  qualities  which  finally  dei- 
fied him.  His  ignorant  admirers  knew  no  way  of  accounting 
for  such  extraordinary  qualities  but  to  suppose  him  to  be  the 
embodiment  of  infinite  wisdom.  Like  the  Chinaman  who  ex- 
claimed, “See  the  God  in  that  man,”  when  an  Englishman 


190 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


cured  a young  woman  of  partial  blindness  by  anointing  he! 
eyes  with  kerosene.  Such  a deed  would  deify  almost  any  man, 
in  almost  any  country,  before  the  dawn  of  letters  and  the  rec- 
ognition of  the  science  of  mind.  The  missionary  Rev.  D.  O. 
Allen’s  method  of  accounting  for  the  deification  of  the  Hindoo 
God  Chrishna  is  so  suggestive,  that  we  here  present  it.  He 
tells  us  that,  “as  the  exploits  ascribed  to  Chrishna  exceed  mere 
human  power,  the  difficulty  was  removed  by  placing  him  among 
the  incarnations  of  Vishnu.”  (India,  Ancient  and  Modern,  p. 
26.)  Exactly  so ! We  are  glad  of  such  historic  information. 
We  hope  the  Christian  reader  will  note  the  lesson  it  suggests. 
For  certainly,  every  reader,  who  has  not  had  his  reason  ship- 
wrecked on  the  shoals  of  a blind  and  dogmatic  theology,  can 
see  here  a key  to  unlock  the  great  mystery  of  the  Christian 
incarnation — the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  As  some  of  the 
exploits  of  Chrishna  were  supposed  to  “ exceed  mere  human 
power,”  we  are  told  the  difficulty  was  explained  by  imagining 
him  to  be  a God.  How  powerful  the  suggestion ! how  conclu- 
sive the  explanation,  not  only  for  the  Godhood  of  this  sin-aton- 
ing Savior,  but  for  that  of  “our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ,” 
and  all  the  other  Lords,  and  Gods,  and  Saviors  of  antiquity! 
A single  hint  will  sometimes  explain  whole  volumes  of  obscure 
history,  as  does  this  of  the  Rev.  Christian  Hindoo  missionary 
L).  O.  Allen.  And  surely,  most  deplorably  blinded  by  super- 
stition must  be  the  two  hundred  millions  of  Christ  worshipers, 
the  three  hundred  millions  who  worship  Chrishna,  the  one 
hundred  and  twenty  million  adorers  of  Confucius,  the  fifty 
millions  of  suppliants  of  Mithra  the  Mediator,  and  the  one 
hundred  and  fifty  millions  of  followers  of  Mahomet,  who  cannot 
see  here  a satisfactory  solution  of  the  deityship  of  all  these 
Gods,  and  all  the  other  man-Gods  of  antiquity. 

The  question  is  sometimes  asked,  How  could  two  hundred 
millions  of  people  come  to  believe  that  Jesus  was  a God  merely 
because  of  his  superiority  as  a man?  We  will  answer  by  point- 
ing to  the  history  of  the  Hindoo  Chrishna,  and  by  asking  the 
same  question  with  respect  to  his  Godhead.  How  could  three 
hundred  millions  of  people  be  brought  to  believe  in  his  divinity, 
and  worship  him  as  a God,  merely  because  he  was  a superior 


WORSHIP  OF  MEN  AS  GODS . 


191 


human  being?  One  question  is  as  easily  answered  as  the  other, 
and  posterity  will  answer  both  questions  alike.  When  we  ob- 
serve it  taught  as  an  important  and  easily  learned  lesson  of  his- 
tory, and  one  based  on  a thousand  facts,  that  no  man  could  rise 
to  intellectual  greatness  or  moral  distinction  in  the  era  in  which 
Christ  was  born  without  being  advanced  to  the  dignity  of  a 
God,  and  worshiped  as  such,  it  is  really  a source  of  humility 
and  sorrow  to  every  unshackled  lover  of  truth  and  humanity 
to  reflect  that  there  are  so  many  millions  of  people  whose  men- 
tal vision  is  so  beclouded  by  a dogmatic  and  inexorable  theol- 
ogy that  they  cannot  see  the  logical  potency  of  these  facts,  — 
that  they  cannot  be  even  moved  by  this  great  and  overwhelm- 
ing amount  of  evidence  against  the  divinity  dogma,  and  ob- 
serve that  it  explodes  it  into  a thousand  fragments,  but  still 
cling  to  the  delusion  that  u the  man  Christ  Jesus,”  with  all  the 
human  qualities  and  human  frailties  with  which  his  own  history 
(the  Gospels)  invest  him,  was  nevertheless  a God,  — ay,  the 
monstrous  delusion  that  any  being  possessing  a finite  form 
could  be  an  infinite  being  — a most  self-evident  and  shocking 
absurdity.  And  we  challenge  all  Christendom  to  show,  or  ap- 
proximate one  inch  toward  showing,  that  there  was  sufficient 
difference  between  Christ  and  Chrishna  to  require  us  to  accept 
one  as  a man  and  the  other  as  a God.  It  cannot  be  done. 

We  have  shown,  then,  by  the  foregoing  exposition,  that  one 
cause  of  the  deification  of  men  was  simply  an  attempt  to  solve 
the  problem  of  human  greatness,  — an  attempt  to  account  for 
the  moral  and  intellectual  superiorty  of  men  which  enabled 
them  to  perform  deeds  and  otherwise  exhibit  a character  flu* 
above  the  capacity  of  the  multitude  to  comprehend,  and  which 
they  could  find  no  other  way  to  account  for  than  to  suppose 
them  to  be  Gods,  while  the  low  and  groveling  conceptions 
which  most  religious  nations,  and  especially  the  Jews,  had 
formed  of  the  character  and  essential  attributes  of  the  Infinite 
Deity  (often  investing  him  with  the  most  ignoble  human  attri- 
butes, human  passions,  and  human  imperfections),  made  it  per- 
fectly easy  to  convert  their  great  men  by  imagination  into  Gods. 
The  Jews  represented  God  not  only  as  coming  down  from  heav- 
en in  propria  persona,  and  walking,  talking,  wrestling,  &c.,  as 


192 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


a man  (on  one  occasion  we  are  told  he  and  Jacob  scuffled  all 
night),  but  he  is  often  represented  as  acting  the  part  of  a 
wicked  man,  such  as  lying  (see  2 Chron.  v.  22),  getting  mad  (see 
Deut.  i.  37),  swearing,  sanctioning  the  high-handed  and  demor- 
alizing crimes  of  stealing  (see  Ex.  iii.  2),  of  robbery  (see  Ex.  xii. 
36),  of  murder  (see  Deut.  xiii.  2);  and  even  fornication  (see  Gen. 
xxxi.  1,  and  Num.  xxxi.),  and  thus  they  invested  Deity  with  such 
mean,  low,  despicable  attributes  as  to  reduce  his  moral  char- 
acter to  a level  with  the  most  immoral  man  in  society.  So  that 
it  was  very  easy,  if  not  very  natural,  to  elevate  their  great  men 
(if  it  really  required  any  elevation)  to  a level  with  their  God. 
Men  and  Gods  were  in  character  and  conception  so  nearly  alike, 
that  it  was  easy  to  bring  them  on  a level,  or  to  mistake  one  for 
the  other.  And  hence  it  is  we  find  an  incarnated  God,  Savior, 
Son  of  God,  Redeemer,  &c.,  figuring  in  the  early  history  of 
nearly  every  oriental  religious  nation  whose  name  and  history 
has  descended  to  us.  Indeed,  the  practice  of  deifying  men,  or 
mistaking  men  for  Gods,  was  once  so  common,  so  nearly  univer- 
sal, that  it  must  require  a mind  very  ignorant  of  oriental  his- 
tory to  adore  Jesus  Christ  as  having  been  the  only  character  of 
this  kind  who  figured  in  the  religious  world.  It  was,  as  before 
suggested,  deemed  the  most  rational  way  of  accounting  for  the 
marked  superiority  among  men,  to  suppose  that  some  men  had 
a divine  birth,  and  were  begotten  by  the  great  Infinite  Deity 
himself,  and  descended  to  the  earth  through  the  purest  human 
(virgin)  channel.  As  Mr.  Higgins  remarks,  “Every  person  who 
possessed  a striking  superiority  of  mind,  either  for  talent  or 
goodness,  was  supposed  anciently  to  have  a portion  of  the  di- 
vine mind  or  essence  incorporated  or  incarnated  in  him.”  The 
Jews  had  a number  of  men  whose  names  imply  a participation 
in  the  divine  nature,  among  which  we  will  cite  Elijah  and  Eli- 
sha (El-i-jah  and  El-i-sha),  El  being  the  Hebrew  name  or  term 
for  God,  while  Jah  is  Jehovah  (see  Ps.  lxviii.  4),  and  Sha 
means  a Savior.  Elijah,  then,  is  an  approximation  to  God  — 
Jehovah,  and  Elisha  is  God  — a Savior.  The  character  of  men 
and  Gods  were  cast  in  molds  so  approximately  similar,  so  nearly 
identical,  as  to  make  the  transition,  or  change  from  one  to  the 
other,  so  slight  and  easy,  either  of  men  into  Gods  or  Gods  into 


WORSHIP  OP  MEN  AS  GODS . 


193 


men,  that  several  nations  went  so  far  as  to  teach  that  a man 
might  by  his  own  natural  exertions,  his  own  voluntary  powers, 
raise  himself  to  a level  with  the  Deity,  and  thereby  become  a 
God.  Mr.  Ritter,  in  his  “ History  of  Ancient  Philosophy  ” 
(Chap.  II.),  tells  us  that  some  of  the  Budhist  sect  held  that  “ a 
man  by  freeing  himself  by  holiness  of  conduct  from  the  obsta- 
cles of  nature,  may  deliver  his  fellows  from  the  corruption  of 
the  times,  and  become  a benefactor  and  redeemer  of  his  race, 
and  also  even  become  a God ” — a “ Budha  ” — i.  e.,  a Savior  and 
Son  of  God.  Singular  enough  that  the  Christian  should  object 
to  this  doctrine  as  being  rather  blasphemous,  when  his  own 
bible  abundantly  and  explicitly  teaches  the  same  doctrine  in 
effect!  We  find  the  same  thing  substantially  taught  over  and 
over  again  in  the  Christian  Scriptures.  “ Be  ye  perfect  even 
as  your  Father  in  heaven  is  perfect”  (Matt.  v.  18),  requires  a 
man  to  become  morally  perfect  as  God,  which  is  all  that  the 
Budhist  precept  requires  or  contemplates,  and  no  man  can  be- 
come perfect  as  God  without  becoming  a God . But  we  are  not 
left  to  mere  inference  in  the  matter.  We  have  the  doctrine 
several  times  expressed  and  unquestionably  taught  in  the  Chris- 
tian bible  of  man’s  power  and  prerogative  to  become  either  a 
God  or  Son  of  God.  “ Said  I not  that  ye  are  Gods  ? ” (Ex. 
iv.  16.)  “ Behold,  now,  we  are  the  sons  of  God.”  (1  John  i.  2.) 
Here  is  the  Budhist  doctrine  as  explicitly  stated  as  it  can  be 
taught.  It  is,  then,  a Christian  bible  doctrine  as  well  as  a pagan 
doctrine,  that  man  can  become  a God,  and  that  God  can  be  born 
of  woman,  and  thereby  invested  with  all  the  frail  and  imperfect 
attributes  of  man.  It  cannot  be  considered  a matter  of  marvel, 
therefore,  that  so  many  of  the  good,  the  great,  and  the  wise  men 
of  almost  every  country,  including  “the  man  Christ  Jesus,” 
should  be  honored  and  adored  with  the  titles  of  Deity,  and 
worshiped  as  God  absolute,  “Son  of  God,”  “Savior,”  “Re- 
deemer,” “ Intercessor,”  Mediator,”  &c. 

4.  God  comes  down  and  is  incarnated  to  fight  and  conquer 
the  devil.  We  will  proceed  to  enumerate  other  causes  and 
motives  which  conspired  in  various  cases  to  invest  some  one  or 
more  of  the  great  men  of  a nation  with  divine  honors,  and 
adore  them  as  veritable  Gods  and  Saviors  “come  down  to  us 
13 


194 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


in  the  form  of  men.”  It  was  a tenet  of  faith  with  most  of  the 
ancient  religions,  that  almost  at  the  dawn  of  human  existence 
a devil  or  evil  principle  found  its  way  into  the  world,  to  the 
great  discomfiture  of  man  and  the  no  small  annoyance  of  the 
Supreme  Creator  himself,  and  that  hence  there  must  needs  be 
a Savior,  a Redeemer,  an  Intercessor  to  combat  and  if  possible 
“ destroy  the  devil  and  his  works.”  For  this  purpose  appeared 
the  Savior  Chrishna,  in  India,  the  Savior  Osiris,  in  Egypt,  the 
God  or  Mediator  Mithra,  in  Persia,  the  Redeemer  Quexalcote, 
in  Mexico,  the  Savior  Jesus  Christ,  in  Judea,  &c.  In  the  initia- 
tory chapter  on  the  transgression  and  fall  of  man,  some  of  the 
oriental  bibles  graphically  describe  the  scene  of  “the  war  in 
heaven  ” — a counterpart  to  the  story  of  St.  John,  as  found  in 
the  twelfth  chapter  of  Revelation,  wherein  Michael  and  the 
dragon  are  represented  as  the  captains  and  commanders-in- 
chief  of  their  respective  embattled  hosts,  and  in  which  the  for- 
mer was  crowned  as  victor  in  the  contest,  as  he  succeeded  in 
vanquishing  and  “ casting  out  the  evil  one.”  In  the  pagan  mil- 
itary drama  the  scene  of  the  war  in  heaven  is  transferred  to  the 
earth.  A God,  a Savior  (a  Son  of  God),  comes  down  to  put  a 
stop  to  the  machinations  of  the  “ Evil  One,”  i.  e.,  to  “ destroy 
the  devil  and  his  works,”  as  we  are  told  Christ  came  for  that 
purpose.  (1  John  iii.  8.)  See  the  Author’s  “Biography  of 
Satan.” 

The  Egyptian  story  runs  thus : “ Osiris  appeared  on  earth 
to  benefit  mankind,  and  after  he  had  performed  the  duties  of 
his  mission,  and  had  fallen  a sacrifice  to  Typhon  (the  devil,  or 
evil  principle),  which,  however,  he  eventually  overcame  (‘over* 
came  the  wicked  one,’  1 John  ii.  11),  by  rising  from  the  dead, 
after  being  crucified,  he  became  the  judge  of  mankind  in  a fu- 
ture state.”  (See  Kerrick’s  “Ancient  Egypt ; ” also  Wilkinson’s 
“ Egypt.”) 

The  Budhist,  or  Hindoo,  version  of  the  story  is  on  this  wise : 
“ The  prince  (of  darkness),  or  evil  spirit,  Havana,  or  Mahesa, 
got  into  a contest  and  a war  with  the  divine  hero  Rama,  in 
which  the  latter  proved  victorious,  and  put  to  flight  the  army 
of  4 the  wicked  one,’  but  not  till  after  considerable  injury  had 
been  done  to  the  human  family,  and  the  whole  order  of  the  un*« 


WORSHIP  OF  MEN  AS  GODS . 


195 


verse  subverted ; to  rectify  which,  and  to  achieve  a final  and 
complete  triumph  over  Havana  (the  devil)  and  his  works,  and 
thus  save  the  human  race  from  utter  destruction,  the  gods  be- 
sought Yishnu  (the  second  person  of  the  Trinity)  to  descend 
to  the  earth  and  take  upon  himself  the  form  and  flesh  of  man. 
And  it  was  argued  that  as  the  mission  appertained  to  man,  the 
God  Yishnu,  when  he  descended  to  the  earth  in  the  capacity 
of  a Savior,  should  become  half  man  and  half  God,  and  that 
the  most  feasible  way  to  accomplish  this  end  was  for  him  to  be 
born  of  a woman.  And  that  the  glory  and  honor  of  his  tri- 
umph over  Havana,  the  devil,  would  be  greater  if  achieved  in 
this  capacity  than  if  he  were  to  come  down  from  heaven  and 
conquer  Havana  wholly  with  his  attributes  as  a God,  or  wholly 
in  his  divine  character  — i.  e.,  as  absolute  God,  uninvested  with 
human  nature.  The  suggestion  was  approved  by  Vishnu,  who 
descended  and  took  upon  himself  the  form  of  man  ” ( “the  form 
of  a servant”  — Phil.  ii.  7).  And  that  his  metamorphosis  or 
earth-born  life  might  be  the  purer,  it  was  decided  that  he  should 
be  born  of  a woman  wholly  uncontaminated  with  man  — that 
is,  a virgin.  And  thus,  far  back  in  the  midnight  of  mythology 
and  fable,  originated  the  story  of  divine  Saviors  and  Gods  be- 
ing born  of  virgins  — a conception  now  found  incorporated  in 
the  religious  histories  of  various  ancient  nations. 

And  now  let  us  observe  how  substantially  the  Christian  story 
of  a Savior  conforms  to  the  above.  Jesus,  like  the  Saviors  of 
India  and  Egypt,  was  believed  to  be  a rnan-God  — half  man 
and  half  God,  and  reputedly  he  came  into  the  world,  like  them, 
to  “ destroy  the  devil  and  his  works,”  or  the  works  of  the  devil  — 
that  is,  to  put  an  end  to  the  evil  or  malignant  principle  intro- 
duced into  the  world  by  the  serpent  in  the  garden  of  Eden  ; as 
it  is  declared  “the  seed  of  the  wToman  shall  bruise  the  serpent’s 
head  ” (Gen.  iii.  15)  — which  is  interpreted  as  referring  to 
Christ.  And  like  these  and  various  other  pagan  Saviors  Jesus 
is  assigned  the  highest  and  most  ennobling  human  origin  — a 
birth  from  a virgin.  And,  as  in  the  instances  above  named, 
Jesus  had  also  several  encounters  with  tire  devil  ; first  in  the 
wilderness,  then  on  a mountain,  and  finally,  like  them,  falls  a 
sacrifice  to  his  insidious,  malignant  power  acting  through  the 


196 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


agency  and  mediumship  of  Judas  Iscariot ; for  his  betray  a\  ia 
ascribed  wholly  to  Satan,  whom  John  calls  the  serpent,  entering 
into  Judas  and  prompting  the  act.  (See  Rev.  xii.  3.)  And  thus 
Christ,  like  the  other  Saviors,  falls  a victim  to  the  serpentine  or 
Satanic  power  acting  through  the  instrumentality  of  a Judas 
Iscariot;  but  finally  triumphed,  like  the  Savior  of  Egypt 
(Osiris),  by  rising  from  the  dead  — “ the  first  fruits  of  immor- 
tality.” And  thus  the  stories  run  parallel  — the  more  modern 
Christian  with  the  more  ancient  pagan. 

(For  a full  exposition  of  the  belief  and  traditions  respecting 
a devil  and  a hell  in  all  ages  and  all  countries,  see  the  Author’s 
:i  Biography  of  Satan.”) 


SACRED  CYCLES. 


197 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

SACRED  CYCLES  EXPLAINING  THE  ADVENT  OF 
THE  GODS, 

THE  MASTER-KEY  TO  THE  DIVINITY  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

Extraordinary  Revelations  in  History  and  Science. 

Recent  explorations  in  the  field  of  oriental  sacred  history 
have  revealed  to  the  antiquarian  some  curious  and  deeply  inter- 
esting facts  appertaining  to  traditions  founded  on,  and  growing 
out  of,  astronomical  phenomena  and  changes  in  the  visible 
heavens,  which  throw  much  light  on,  and  go  far  toward  eluci- 
dating and  furnishing  a satisfactory  explanation  of  many  of 
the  “ mysteries  ” of  the  Christian  bible.  The  works  which  we 
have  consulted,  containing  the  reports  and  results  of  researches 
of  this  character,  tend  to  elucidate  and  establish  the  following 
conclusions : — 

1.  That  anciently,  in  religious  countries,  time  was  divided 
into  Cycles,  Aetas,  or  Neros. 

2.  That  these  measures  of  time  grew  out  of,  and  represented 
periodical  changes,  or  periodically  occurring  phenomena  in  the 
astronomical  heavens. 

3.  That  some  religious  nations  had  three  Cycular  periods  of 
different  lengths,  representing  three  orders  and  degrees  of  mi- 
raculous births.  In  India  the  length  of  the  first  or  shorter 
Cycle  was  thirty  days,  the  length  of  one  moon  or  month. 
Every  change  of  the  moon  marked  an  important  event  in  their 
religious  history.  Each  change  was  supposed  to  denote  the 
birth  of  some  angel  or  celestial  being,  known  as  an  Eon.  The 
second  Cycular  period  was  of  six  hundred  years’  duration,  and 
was  founded  on  a text  of  the  sacred  book  of  India,  known  as 


198 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


the  Surya  Sicilian ta,  which  declares  “ the  equinoctial  point  moves 
eastward  one  degree  in  thirty  times  twenty  years  ” (thirty 
times  twenty  being  600).  At  every  occurrence  of  this  equi- 
noctial change,  hightened  by  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  or  moon,  or 
some  other  wonder-exciting  phenomenon,  a God  was  supposed 
to  be  born.  Such  a marvelous  and  terror-inspiring  event,  in 
the  apprehensions  of  the  credulous  and  superstitious  populace 
of  an  unscientific  age,  could  not  be  designed  for  anything  less 
than  the  birth  of  a God  or  Divine  Savior.  Their  theology 
teaches  that  such  was  the  wickedness  of  man,  that  a God  had 
to  descend  from  heaven,  and  suffer  and  die  for  the  people,  in 
some  way,  every  six  hundred  years.  And  this  period  was 
announced  by  the  God’s  causing  a collision  of  the  sun  and 
moon,  or  some  other  terror-exciting  phenomena  in  the  heavens 
above,  or  the  earth  beneath.  When  one  of  these  six  hundred 
Cycular  periods  was  about  to  expire,  and  another  commence, 
every  remarkable  phenomenon  in  the  heavens  was  watched  and 
interpreted  as  being  connected  with  it.  And  some  person  born 
at  that  period,  who  exhibited  any  remarkable  or  extraordinary 
traits  of  character,  was  certain  to  be  promoted  to  the  Godhead, 
as  being  miraculously  born  and  brought  forth  for  the  special 
occasion.  He  was  the  Avatar  Savior  or  Messiah  for  that 
Cycle.  There  were  two  extraordinary  events  to  be  accounted 
for — -one  was  the  display  of  unusual  and  terror-exciting  phe- 
nomena in  the  heavens,  and  the  other  the  birth  of  extraordinary 
men  on  earth.  And  it  was  natural  for  an  ignorant  age  to  asso- 
ciate them  together,  and  make  one  aid  in  accounting  for  the 
other.  And  as  these  celestial  phenomena  were  only  witnessed 
at  intervals  distant  apart,  the  thought  naturally  arose,  and  the 
conclusion  was  easily  established,  that  they  came  periodically, 
and  for  the  special  purpose  of  heralding  the  birth  of  a God.  And 
as  tradition  reported  that  similar  events  were  witnessed  six  hun- 
dred years  before  the  conviction  was  fixed  in  the  popular  mind, 
this  was  the  established  period  intervening  between  these 
great  epochs.  And  thus  the  six  hundred  year  Cycular  tradi- 
tion became  established  in  India,  and  finally  spread  through  all 
the  Eastern  countries.  We  find  traces  of  it  in  Egypt,  Syria, 
Persia,  Chaldea,  China,  Italy,  and  Judea.  And  the  proof  that 


SACRED  CYCLES. 


199 


the  deification  of  great  men  in  some  countries  grew  out  of  this 
Cycular  tradition  is  found  in  the  fact  that  many  of  them  were 
born  at  the  commencement  of  Cycles.  The  Hindoos  are  able 
to  recount  the  names  of  ten  sin-atoning  Saviors  who  made  their 
appearance  on  earth  at  these  regular  intervals  of  six  hundred 
years.  The  name  of  the  first  Avatar  Mediator  and  Savior  who 
forsook  the  throne  of  heaven  to  come  down  and  die  for  the  peo- 
ple was  Matsa.  Tradition  and  the  sacred  books  fix  his  birth 
at  about  six  thousand  years  B.  C.  The  names  and  advent  of 
the  other  sin-atoning  Saviors  occur  in  the  following  order : 2. 
Vurahay,  3.  Kurma,  4.  Nursu,  5.  Waman,  6.  Pursuram,  7. 
Kama,  8.  Chrishna,  9.  Sakia,  10.  Salavahana.  The  last  named 
Savior  was  cotemporary  with  Jesus  Christ.  The  God  and 
Savior  Sakia  was  born  six  hundred  years  B.  C.  “ Our  Lord 
and  Savior”  and  “Son  of  God,”  Chrishna,  was  immaculately 
conceived  and  miraculously  born,  according  to  Higgins,  1200 
B.  C. 

A circumstance  strongly  confirming  the  conclusion  that 
Cycular  periods  had  much  to  do  with  the  promotion  of  men  to 
the  dignity  of  Gods  is,  that  most  of  the  deified  personages  re- 
ported in  history  were,  according  to  the  best  authorities,  born 
near  the  commencement  of  Cycles.  Recurring  back  to  the 
eighth  Cycle,  we  observe  the  advent  at  that  period  of 
Chrishna,  Zoroaster  2d,  Bali,  Thammuz,  Atys,  Osiris,  and  sev- 
eral others.  At  the  commencement  of  the  ninth  Cycle  ap- 
peared Sakia,  Quexalcote,  Zoroaster  2d,  Xion,  Quirinus,  Prome- 
theus, Mithra,  and  many  others.  The  tenth  Cycle  brought  in 
Jesus  Christ,  Salavahana,  Apollonius,  and  others  that  might  be 
named.  Mahomet  succeeded  Jesus  Christ  just  six  hundred 
years  (he  was  born  in  the  year  600  A.  D.),  which  inaugurated 
another  Cycle.  Many  facts  are  recorded  in  history  proving  the 
prevalence  and  sacredness  of  the  Cycle  idea  in  different  coun- 
tries. The  story  in  Egypt  of  the  bird  called  the  Phoenix,  being 
hatched,  according  to  tradition,  just  600  years  B.  C.,  and  living 
to  be  just  six  hundred  years  old,  and  having  the  power  to  re- 
new itself  every  six  hundred  years,  shows  the  prevalence  of  the 
Cycular  tradition  in  that  country.  We  have  the  statement 
upon  the  records  of  history  that  when  the  first  six  hundred 


200 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


years  after  the  foundation  of  Rome  were  about  to  expire,  the 
people  became  greatly  excited  with  the  apprehension  that  some 
extraordinary  event  must  attend  the  occasion.  And  but  for 
the  influence  of  the  philosophers,  some  extraordinary  man 
would  have  been  hunted  up  and  promoted  to  divine  honor  as 
being  the  God  born  for  that  Cycle.  The  writings  of  Plato, 
Plutarch,  Ovid,  Cicero,  Virgil,  and  Aristotle,  all  evince  a belief 
in  Cycles,  and  the  belief  that  ten  Cycles,  or  Aetas,  were  the 
measure  for  the  duration  of  the  world.  According  to  M.  Faber, 
a new-born  Savior  was  always  expected  to  make  his  appearance 
at  the  commencement  of  one  of  these  Cycles.  Hence  the  deifi- 
cation of  those  personages  above  named,  and  many  others  that 
might  be  named.  It  is  a remarkable  circumstance  that  the 
Jewish  bible  should  speak  of  Noah  as  being  six  hundred  years 
old  at  the  commencement  of  the  flood,  when  it  was  a tradition 
amongst  the  ancient  Egyptians  that  the  ushering  in  of  the  six 
hundredth  year  Cycle  was  to  be  attended  with  a flood.  And 
the  time  antecedent  to  Noah  after  creation,  was  the  measure 
of  three  Cycles,  according  to  the  chronology  of  the  Samari- 
tan bible,  it  being  600  + 600  + 600  = 1800  years  from  Adam 
to  Noah.  It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  those  enigmatical 
figures  made  use  of  by  Daniel,  as  also  some  of  those  found 
in  the  Apocalypse,  are  susceptible  of  a Cycular  explanation. 
These  occult  prophecies,  as  they  are  supposed  to  be,  which  have 
puzzled  and  bewildered  many  thousands  of  Christian  minds 
and  bible  expounders  in  their  attempt  to  evolve  their  signifi- 
cation, are  susceptible  of  a Cycular  explanation.  They  are  of 
easy  solution  on  a Cycular  basis,  or  with  the  Cycular  key. 
Take,  for  example,  Daniel’s  famous  prophecy  (so  called)  of  the 
seventy  weeks,  as  found  in  the  ninth  chapter,  announcing  the 
advent  of  a Messiah  at  the  end  of  that  period.  We  find  by  a cal- 
culation based  on  Tyson’s  u Historical  Atlas,”  and  Haskell’s 
“ Chronology  and  Universal  History,”  that  Daniel  lived  in  the 
hundred  and  tenth  year  of  the  ninth  Cycle,  at  which  time  the 
prefigure  seems  to  have  been  used.  Assuming  this  as  a basis, 
and  multiplying  seventy  weeks  by  seven,  to  convert  it  into 
years,  as  Christian  essayists  are  accustomed  to  doing,  and  we 
have  as  the  result  70  X 7 =490,  which  being  added  to  one 


SACRED  CYCLES. 


201 


hundred  and  ten,  the  year  that  gave  birth  to  the  prophecy, 
makes  six  hundred,  which  exactly  completes  the  Cycle,  and 
furnishes  a simple  and  beautiful  explanation  of  a mystical 
figure,  on  which  many  thousands  of  conjectures,  speculations, 
and  guesses  have  been  founded,  but  on  which  they  have  failed 
to  throw  any  light. 

The  70x7  = 490  years,  were  wanting  to  complete  the 
Cycle;  and  when  this  rolled  away,  it  brought  a new  Cycle, 
and  with  it  a new  sin-atoning  Savior  was  always  expected  in 
some  countries  (the  country  in  which  Daniel  lived  being  one 
of  this  number)  ; a new  Messiah  (or  sin-atoning  Savior),  and 
some  great  man  born  at  that  time,  was  fixed  upon  and  dei- 
fied as  being  that  Messiah.  Hence  the  Jews,  in  imitation  of 
their  neighbors,  yielding  to  their  strong  proclivities  to  bor- 
row from  and  copy  after  heathen  nations,  selected  “ the  man 
Christ  Jesus”  as  their  Messiah  and  Savior.  The  mystical  era 
of  Daniel,  signified  by  “a  time,  times,  and  the  dividing  of  time” 
(Dan.  vii.  25),  or,  as  St.  John  has  it,  “a  time,  times,  and  a half 
time  (see  Rev.  xii.  14),  is  explainable  by  the  same  Cycular 
key.  Some  writers  have  conjectured  that  Daniel  was  a Chal- 
dean priest.  If  so,  he  must  have  had  a knowledge  of  their 
astronomical  Cycle  of  two  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty 
years,  which  completed  the  period  of  the  precession  of  the 
equinoxes.  Explained  by  this  Cycle,  his  “time,  times,  and 
dividing  of  time,  or  half  time,  or  “a  time,  another  time,  and  a 
half  time,”  as  some  writers  have  rendered  it,  would  be  2160  + 
2160  + 1080  = 5400;  nine  Cycles  exactly,  as  600x9  = 5400. 
Add  this  to  the  Cycle  in  which  he  lived,  and  we  have  5400  + 
600  = 6000,  the  great  Millennial  Cycle,  when  not  only  a new 
Savior  and  Messiah  was  to  be  born,  but  a new  world  also.  Both 
the  long  and  short  Cycle  (and  one  was  a measure  of  the 
other)  were  expected  to  expire  at  that  time,  according  to  a 
Chaldean  tradition.  And  thus  is  beautifully  explained  another 
“ deep,  dark,  and  unfathomable  mystery,”  which  thousands  of 
devout  minds  have  exhausted  their  ingenuity  in  trying  to  find 
a meaning  for.  Again,  look  at  the  frightful  nightmare  visions 
of  Daniel  and  the  author  of  the  Apocalypse,  in  which  they  saw 
a monstrous  beast  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  though 


202 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


Daniel  mentions  only  the  horns.  The  seven  heads  were,  in  all 
probability,  the  seven  auspicious  months  of  the  year  in  which 
some  of  the  nations  reveled  in  the  enjoyment  of,  and  praised 
and  celebrated  their  fruitful,  bountiful  blessings,  the  year  being 
divided  into  two  seasons,  seven  summer  months  and  five  winter 
months.  Now,  let  it  be  noted,  St.  John  lived  near  the  tenth 
Cycle,  which  answers  to  the  ten  horns  of  the  beast.  Hence  is 
most  forcibly  suggested  that  interpretation  of  the  figure. 
Daniel’s  ten  horns  should  have  been  translated  eleven  horns, 
as  he  lived  in  the  ninth  Cycle,  though  so  near  the  tenth 
that  he  probably  constructed  his  figure  on  the  tenth.  And 
Daniel’s  prophetic  declaration  (so  considered),  found  in  the 
eighth  chapter,  that  it  would  be  two  thousand  three  hundred 
days  until  the  sanctuary  should  be  closed,  is  explainable  in  the 
same  manner.  According  to  Mr.  Irving,  Mr.  Frere,  and  other 
writers,  there  was  a large  fraction  over  the  three  hundred  days, 
making  it  nearer  four  hundred,  and  hence  might  have  been  so 
rendered,  which  would  make  2000  + 400  = 2400;  the  exact 
length  of  four  Cycles,  600x4  = 2400.  And  there  are  other 
mystical  figures,  frightful  visions,  and  occult  metaphors  found 
in  the  Apocalypse  susceptible  of  a Cycular  solution.  The 
Cycle  is  the  true  key  for  unlocking  many  of  the  ancient  mys- 
teries of  various  religions.  The  Chinese  have  always  reckoned 
by  Cycles  of  sixty  years,  instead  of  by  centuries.  (See  New 
Am.  Eneyclop.,  vol.  v.  p.  105.) 

We  will  now  bestow  a brief  notice  on  the  Millennial  Cycle : 
the  sacred  period  of  6000  years,  composed  of  ten  of  the  smaller 
Cycles,  600x10  = 6000.  Dr.  Hales  says,  “A  tradition  of  Mil- 
lennial ages  prevailed  throughout  the  east,  and  finally  reached 
the  west.”  (Chron.  vol.  i.  p.  44.)  We  are  told  by  astronomers 
that  if  the  angle  which-  the  plane  of  the  ecliptic  forms  with  the 
plane  of  the  equator  had  decreased  gradually,  as  it  was  once 
supposed  to  do,  the  two  planes  would  coincide  in  about  six 
thousand  years  — a period  which  comprises  ten  of  the  smaller 
Cycles,  600  X 10=  6000.  And  it  was  very  easy  and  very  natural 
for  an  ignorant  and  superstitious  age  to  conclude  that  such  a 
prodigious,  astounding,  and  awful  event  as  that  of  two  stupen- 
dous orbits  or  planes  coming  in  contact  with  each  other,  should 


SACRED  CTCLES . 


20S 


be  attended  with  some  direful  and  calamitous  event,  and  with 
a tremendous  display  of  divine  power.  Nothing  less  than  an 
entire  revolution,  if  not  the  total  destruction  of  the  world,  could 
comport  with  the  majesty  and  magnitude  of  such  an  event. 
And  this  great  crisis  was  to  bring  down  the  Omnipotent  Divine 
Judge  from  the  throne  of  heaven ; that  is,  the  Almighty 
Being  who  caused  it  was  to  come  down,  or  send  his  Son  to 
call  the  nations  to  judgment,  and  drown  the  world,  or  set  it  on 
fire.  The  first  destruction,  according  to  the  tradition  of  the 
Chaldeans,  Persians,  Assyrians,  Mexicans,  and  some  other 
nations,  was  to  be  by  water,  and  the  next  by  fire,  when  the 
oceans,  seas,  and  lakes  were  to  be  converted  into  ashes.  And 
Christ’s  apostles  seem  to  have  cherished  this  tradition.  Peter 
says,  “ whereby  the  world  that  was  then,  being  overflowed  by 
water,  perished.  But  the  heavens  and  the  earth  which  are  now, 
by  the  same  word  are  kept  in  store,  reserved  unto  fire  against 
the  day  of  judgment.”  (2  Peter  iii.  6.)  This  was  a pagan  belief 
long  prior  to  the  era  of  Peter.  Josephus  says,  “ Adam  predicted 
that  the  world  would  be  twice  destroyed,  once  by  water,  next 
by  fire.”  A writer  says,  “ A glorious,  blissful  future  attends 
the  destruction  of  the  world  by  fire,  and  the  re-appearance  of 
Vishnu  (i.  e.,  eleventh  incarnation  of  Vishnu)  has  been  for 
several  thousand  years  the  hopeful  anticipation  of  India  ” “ The 
last  coming  of  Vishnu  in  power  and  glory,”  says  another  writ- 
er, “to  consummate  the  final  overthrow  of  evil,  sin,  and  death, 
is  so  firmly  fixed  in  the  minds  of  the  devotees,  that  they  have 
an  annual  festival  in  commemoration  of  their  prophecy  referring 
to  it,  at  which  they  exclaim,  in  a loud  voice,  “ When  will  the 
Divine  Helper  come?  when  will  the  Deliverer  appear?”  At 
the  consummation  of  this  event,  “ a comet  will  roll  under  the 
moon  and  set  the  world  on  fire;”  so  affirms  their  bible.  And 
the  Persian  bible,  the  Zend-Avesta,  in  like  manner  predicts  that 
“a  star,  with  a tail  in  course  of  its  revolution,  will  strike  the 
earth  and  set  it  on  fire.”  Seneca  predicts  that  “the  time  will 
come  when  the  world  will  be  wrapped  in  flames,  and  the  oppa 
site  powers  in  conflict  will  mutually  destroy  each  other.” 

Ovid  prophesies  poetically, — 


204 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. , 


“ For  thus  the  stern,  unyielding  Fates  decree, 

That  earth,  air,  heaven,  with  the  capacious  sea, 

All  shall  fall  victims  to  devouring  fire, 

And  in  fierce  flames  the  blazing  orbs  expire.” 

Lucian,  in  a b’ke  spirit,  exclaims,  — 

“ One  vast,  appointed  flame,  by  Fate’s  decree, 

Shall  waste  yon  azure  heavens,  the  earth  and  sea.” 

The  Egyptians  marked  their  houses  with  red,  to  indicate  that 
the  world  would  be  destroyed  by  fire.  Orpheus,  1200  B.  C., 
at  the  inauguration  of  the  eighth  Cycle,  entertained  fearful 
forebodings  of  the  speedy  destruction  of  the  world  by  water  or 
fire.  Some  nations  held  that  the  alternate  destruction  of  the 
world  by  water  and  fire  had  already  occurred,  and  would  occur 
again.  Theopompus  informs  us  that  some  of  the  orientalists 
believed  that  “ the  God  of  light  and  the  God  of  darkness 
reigned  by  turn  every  six  thousand  years  (commencing  with 
an  astronomical  Cycle  of  course),  and  that  during  this  period 
the  other  was  held  in  subjection,  which  finally  resulted  in  “ a 
war  in  heaven  a counterpart  to  St.  John’s  story.  (See  Rev. 
chap,  xii.)  This  accords  with  Yolney’s  statement,  that  “it 
was  recorded  in  the  sacred  books  of  the  Persians  and  Chaldeans 
that  the  world,  composed  of  a total  revolution  of  twelve  thou- 
sand periods,  was  divided  into  two  partial  revolutions  of  six 
thousand  years  each  — one  being  the  reign  of  good,  and  the 
other  the  reign  of  evil.”  (Ruins,  p.  244.)  This  belief  was  dis- 
seminated through  most  of  the  nations.  One  of  these  revolu- 
tions was  produced,  some  believed,  by  a concussion  of  worlds, 
which  displaced  the  oceans  and  seas,  and  thus  produced  a 
general  flood,  which  drowned  every  living  thing  on  the  earth. 
The  next  revolution  will  be  caused  by  a collision  of  worlds, 
which  will  produce  fire,  and  burn  the  earth  to  ashes.  Now, 
let  it  be  noted  that  all  these  grand  epochs  were  founded  on 
Cycles,  and  accompanied  by  the  tradition  of  a God  being  born 
upon  the  earth  (conceived  by  a virgin  maid),  or  descending  in 
person  ; that  is,  men  were  promoted  to  the  Godhead.  And 
in  this  way  Jesus  Christ  was  deified.  Yolney  explains  the 
matter  thus:  “Now,  according  to  the  Jewish  computation,  six 


SACRED  CYCLES. 


205 


thousand  years  had  nearly  elapsed  since  the  supposed  creation 
of  the  world  (according  to  their  chronology).  This  coinci- 
dence produced  considerable  fermentation  in  the  minds  of  the 
people.  Nothing  was  thought  of  but  the  approaching  termina- 
tion. The  great  Mediator  and  Final  Judge  was  expected,  and 
his  advent  desired,  that  an  end  might  be  put  to  their  calami- 
ties.” (Ruins,  'p.  168.)  Mr.  Higgins  corroborates  this  state- 
ment, when  he  tells  us  that  “ about  the  time  of  the  Caesars  there 
seems  to  have  been  a general  expectation  that  some  Great  One 
was  to  appear.  And  finally,  when  the  Cycle  had  passed,  the 
people,  the  Jew-Christians,  began  to  look  about  to  see  who 
that  Great  One  was.  Some  fixed  on  Herod,  some  on  Julius 
Caesar,  and  some  on  others.  But  finally  public  opinion  settled 
on  one  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  on  account  of  his  superiority  in 
morals  and  intellect,  while  the  Hindoos  deified  Salavahana,  the 
Greeks  Apollonius,  &c.  And  thus  science  and  history  join 
hand  in  hand  to  explain  most  beautifully  and  conclusively  the 
greatest  mystery  that  ever  brought  two  hundred  mil  ions  of 
people  daily  upon  their  knees  — the  apotheosis,  or  deification 
of  “ the  man  Christ  Jesus.” 


206 


THE  WORLD  'S  SAVIORS . 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

CHRISTIANITY  DERIVED  FROM  HEATHEN  AND 
ORIENTAL  SYSTEMS. 

More  than  twenty  thousand  sermons  are  preached  in  the 
Christian  pulpits,  on  every  recurring  Sabbath,  to  convince  the 
people  that  the  religion  and  morality  taught  and  practiced  by 
Jesus  Christ  was  of  divine  emanation,  and  was  never  before 
taught  in  the  world,  — that  his  system  of  morality  was  without 
a parallel,  and  his  practical  life  without  a precedent,  — that  the 
doctrine  of  self-denial,  humility,  unselfishness,  benevolence,  and 
charity,  — also  devout  piety,  kind  treatment  of  enemies,  and 
love  for  the  human  race,  which  he  preached  and  practiced,  had 
never  before  been  exemplified  in  the  life  and  teachings  of  any 
individual  or  nation.  But  a thorough  acquaintance  with  the 
history  and  moral  systems  of  some  of  the  oriental  nations,  and 
the  practical  lives  of  piety  and  self-denial  exemplified  in  their 
leading  men  long  anterior  to  the  birth  of  Christ,  and  long  be- 
fore the  name  of  Christianity  was  anywhere  known,  must 
convince  any  unprejudiced  mind  that  such  a claim  is  without 
foundation.  And  to  prove  it,  we  will  here  institute  a critical 
comparison  between  Christianity  and  some  of  the  older  sys- 
tems with  respect  to  the  essential  spirit  of  their  teachings,  and 
observe  how  utterly  untenable  and  groundless  is  the  dogmatic 
assumption  which  claims  for  the  Christian  religion  either  any 
originality  or  any  superiority.  Of  course  if  there  is  nothing 
new  or  original,  there  is  nothing  superior. 

We  will  first  arrange  Christianity  side  by  side  with  the  an- 
cient system  known  as  Essenism  — a religion  whose  origin  has 
never  been  discovered,  though  it  is  known  that  the  Essenes  exist- 
ed in  the  days  of  Jonathan  Maccabeus,  B.  C.  150,  and  that  they 


CHRISTIANITY'S  ANCIENT  DERIVATION.  207 


were  of  Jewish  origin,  and  constituted  one  of  the  three  Jewish 
sects  (the  other  two  being  Pharisees  and  Sadducees).  We  have 
but  fragments  of  their  history  as  furnished  by  Philo,  Josephus, 
Pliny,  and  their  copyists,  Eusebius,  Dr.  Ginsburgh,  and  others, 
on  whose  authority  we  will  proceed  to  show  that  Alexandrian 
and  J udean  Essenism  was  identically  the  same  system  in  spirit 
and  essence  as  its  successor  Judean  Christianity ; in  othei 
words,  Judean  Christianity  teaches  the  same  doctrines  and 
moral  precepts  which  had  been  previously  inculcated  by  the 
disciples  of  the  Essenian  religion. 

A Parallel  Exhibition  op  the  Precepts  and  Practical 
Lives  op  Christ  and  the  Essenes. 

We  will  condense  from  Philo,  Josephus,  and  other  authors. 

1.  Philo  says,  “It  is  our  first  duty  to  seek  the  kingdom  of 
God  and  his  righteousness ; ” so  the  Essenes  believed  and 
taught. 

Scripture  parallel.  “ Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his 
righteousness,  and  all  else  shall  be  added.”  (Matt.  vi.  33 ; Luke 
xii.  31.) 

2.  Philo  says,  “ They  abj  ured  all  amusements,  all  elegances, 
and  all  pleasures  of  the  senses.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “ Forsake  the  world  and  the  things 
thereof.” 

3.  The  Essenes  say,  “Lay  up  nothing  on  earth,  but  fix  your 
mind  solely  on  heaven.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “ Lay  not  up  treasures  on  earth,”  &c. 

4.  “ The  Essenes,  having  laid  aside  all  the  anxieties  of  life,” 
says  Philo,  “ and  leaving  society,  they  make  their  residence  in 
solitary  wilds  and  in  gardens.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “ They  wandered  in  deserts,  and  in 
mountains,  and  in  dens,  and  in  caves  of  the  earth.”  (Heb. 
xi.  38.) 

5.  Josephus  says,  “They  neither  buy  nor  sell  among  them- 
selves, but  give  of  what  they  have  to  him  that  wanteth.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “ And  parted  them  (their  goods)  to  all 
men  as  every  man  had  need.”  (Acts  ii.  45.) 


208 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


6.  Eusebeus  says,  “Even  as  it  is  related  in  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,  all  (the  Essenes)  . . . were  wont  to  sell  their  posses- 
sions and  their  substance,  and  divide  among  all  according  as 
any  one  had  need,  so  that  there  was  not  one  among  them  in 
want” 

Scripture  parallel . “Neither  was  there  any  among  them 
that  lacked,  for  as  many  as  were  possessors  of  lands  or  houses 
sold  them,  and  brought  the  price  of  the  things  that  were  sold,” 
&c.  (Acts  iv.  84.) 

7.  Eusebius  says,  “ For  whoever,  of  Christ’s  disciples,  were 
owners  of  estates  or  houses,  sold  them,  and  brought  the  price 
thereof,  and  laid  them  at  the  apostles’  feet,  and  distribution  was 
made  as  every  one  had  need.  So  Philo  relates  things  exactly 
similar  of  the  Essenes.” 

Scripture  parallel . (The  text  above  quoted.) 

8.  “ Philo  tells  us  (says  Eusebius)  that  the  Essenes  forsook 
father,  mother,  brothers  and  sisters,  houses  and  lands,  for  their 
religion.” 

Scripture  parallel . “ Whosoever  forsaketh  not  father  and 

mother,  houses  and  lands,”  &c.,  “ cannot  be  my  disciples.” 

9.  “ Their  being  sometimes  called  monks  was  owing  to  their 
abstraction  from  the  world,”  says  Eusebius. 

Scripture  parallel . “ They  are  not  of  the  world,  even  as  I 

am  not  of  the  world.”  (John  xvii.  16.) 

10.  “ And  the  name  Ascetics  was  applied  to  them  on  account 
of  their  rigid  discipline,  their  prayers,  fasting,  self-mortification, 
&c.,  as  they  made  themselves  eunuchs.” 

Scripture  parallel . “ There  be  eunuchs  which  have  made 

themselves  eunuchs  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven’s  sake.” 

11.  “They  maintained  a perfect  community  of  goods,  and  an 
equality  of  external  rank.”  (Mich.  vol.  iv.  p.  88.) 

Scripture  parallel . “ Whosoever  will  be  chief  among  you, 

let  him  be  your  servant.”  (Matt.  xx.  27.) 

12.  “ The  Essenes  had  all  things  in  common,  and  appointed 
one  of  their  number  to  manage  the  common  bag.”  (Dr.  Gins- 
burg.) 

Scripture  parallel.  “And  had  all  things  in  common.”  (Acts 
ii.  44 ; see  also  Acts  iv.  82.) 


CHRISTIANITY'S  ANCIENT  DERIVATION . 209 


13.  “ All  ornamental  dress  they  (Essenes)  detested.”  (Mich, 
vol.  iv.  p.  83.) 

Scripture  parallel . “ Whose  adorning  let  it  not  be  that  out* 

ward  adorning  of  plaiting  the  hair,  and  of  wearing  of  gold,  and 
putting  on  of  apparel.”  (1  Peter  iii.  3.) 

14.  “ They  would  call  no  man  master.”  (Mich.) 

Scripture  parallel . “ Be  not  called  Rabbi,  for  one  is  your 

Master.  (Matt,  xxiii.  8.) 

15.  “ They  said  the  Creator  made  all  mankind  equal.”  (Mich.) 

Scripture  parallel > “ God  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  them 

that  dwell  upon  the  earth.” 

16.  “They  renounced  oaths,  saying,  He  who  cannot  be  be- 
lieved without  swearing  is  condemned  already.”  (Mich.) 

Scripture  parallel . w Swear  not  at  all.” 

17.  “They  would  not  eat  anything  which  had  blood  in  it,  or 
meat  which  had  been  offered  to  idols.  Their  food  was  hys- 
sop, and  bread,  and  salt ; and  water  their  only  drink.”  (Mich.) 

Scripture  parallel . “ That  ye  abstain  from  meat  offered  to 

idols,  and  from  blood.”  (Acts  xv.  29.) 

18.  “ Taking  nothing  with  them,  neither  meat  nor  drink,  nor 
anything  necessary  for  the  wants  of  the  body.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “Take  nothing  for  your  journey;  neither 
staves  nor  scrip ; neither  bread,  neither  money,  neither  have 
two  coats  apiece.” 

19.  “ They  expounded  the  literal  sense  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 
by  allegory.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “ Which  things  are  an  allegory.”  (Gal. 
iv.  24.) 

20.  “They  abjured  the  pleasures  of  the  body,  not  desiring 
mortal  offspring,  and  they  renounced  marriage,  believing  it  to 
be  detrimental  to  a holy  life.”  (Mich.) 

Scripture  parallel.  It  will  be  recollected  that  neither  Jesus 
nor  Paul  ever  married,  and  that  they  discouraged  the  marriage 
relation.  Christ  says,  “ They  that  shall  be  counted  worthy  of 
that  world  and  the  resurrection  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in 
marriage.”  And  Paul  says,  “The  unmarried  careth  for  the 
things  of  the  Lord.”  (1  Cor.  vii.  32.) 

21.  “They  strove  to  disengage  their  minds  entirely  from  the 
world.” 


14 


210 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


Scripture  'parallel.  “ If  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of 
the  Father  is  not  in  him.” 

22.  “ Devoting  themselves  to  the  Lord,  they  provided  not  for 
future  subsistence.” 

Scripture  parallel . “ Take  no  thought  for  the  morrow,  what 

ye  shall  eat  and  drink,”  &c. 

28.  “ Regarding  the  body  as  a prison,  they  were  ashamed  to 
give  it  sustenance.”  (c.  ii.  71.) 

Scripture  parallel . “ Who  shall  change  our  vile  bodies  ? ” 

(Phil.  iii.  21.) 

24.  “They  spent  nearly  all  their  time  in  silent  meditation 
and  inward  prayer.”  (c.  ii.  71.) 

Scripture  parallel.  “ Men  ought  always  to  pray.”  (Luke 
xviii.  1.)  “ Pray  without  ceasing.”  (1  Thess.  v.  17.) 

25.  “ Believing  the  poor  were  the  Lord’s  favorites,  they  vowed 
perpetual  chastity  and  poverty.”  (c.  ii.  71.) 

Scripture  parallel.  “ Blessed  be  ye  poor.”  (Luke  vi.  20.) 
“ Hath  not  God  chosen  the  poor  ? ” (James  ii.  5.) 

26.  “ They  devoted  themselves  entirely  to  contemplation  in 
divine  things.”  (c.  ii.  71.) 

Scripture  parallel.  “Meditate  upon  these  (divine)  things; 
give  thyself  wholly  to  them.”  (1  Tim.  iv.  15.) 

27.  “ They  fasted  often,  sometimes  tasting  food  but  once  in 
three  or  even  six  days.” 

Scripture  parallel.  Christ’s  disciples  were  “ in  fastings  often.” 
(2  Cor.  xi.  27 ; see  also  v.  34.) 

28.  “ They  offered  no  sacrifices,  believing  that  a serious  and 
devout  soul  was  most  acceptable.”  (c.  ii.  71.) 

Scripture  parallel.  “ There  is  no  more  offering  for  sin.” 
(Heb.  x.  18.) 

29.  “ They  believed  in  and  practiced  baptizing  the  dead.” 
(c.  ii.  71.) 

Scripture  parallel.  “ Else  what  shall  they  do  which  are  bap- 
tized for  the  dead.”  (1  Cor.  xv.  29.) 

30.  “ They  gave  a mystical  sense  to  the  Scriptures,  disregard- 
ing the  letter.” 

Scripture  parallel.  c The  letter  killeth,  but  the  spirit  maketh 
alive.”  (1  Cor.  iii.  6.) 


CHRISTIANITY  ’5  ANCIENT  DERIVATION . 211 


31.  “They  taught  by  metaphors,  symbols,  and  parables.” 

Scripture  parallel . “ Without  a parable  spake  he  not  unto 

them.”  (Matt.  xiii.  34.) 

32.  “ They  had  many  mysteries  in  their  religion  which  they 
were  sworn  to  keep  secret.” 

Scripture  parallel . “To  you  it  is  given  to  know  the  myste- 
ries of  the  kingdom ; to  them  it  is  not  given.”  (Matt.  xiii.  11.) 
“ Great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness.” 

33.  “ They  had  in  their  churches  bishops,  elders,  deacons,  and 
priests.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “ Ordained  elders  in  every  church.”  (Acts 
xiv.  23.)  For  “ deacon,”  see  1 Tim.  iii.  1. 

34.  “ When  assembled  together  they  would  often  sing  psalms.” 

Scripture  parallel . “ Teaching  and  admonishing  one  another 

in  psalms.”  (Col.  iii.  16.) 

35.  “ They  healed  and  cured  the  minds  and  bodies  of  those 
who  joined  them.” 

Scripture  parallel . “ Healing  all  manner  of  sickness,”  &c. 

(Matt.  iv.  23.) 

36.  “ They  practiced  certain  ceremonial  purifications  by 
water.” 

Scripture  parallel . “ The  accomplishment  of  the  days  of 

purification.”  (Acts  xxi.  26.) 

37.  “ They  assembled  at  the  Sabbath  festivals  clothed  in 
white  garments.” 

Scripture  parallel . “ Shall  be  clothed  in  white  garments.” 

(Rev.  iii.  4.) 

38.  “They  disbelieved  in  the  resurrection  of  the  external 
body.” 

Scripture  parallel . “ It  is  sown  a natural  body,  it  is  raised 

a spiritual  body.”  (1  Cor.  xv.  44.) 

39.  Pliny  says,  “ They  were  the  only  sort  of  men  who  lived 
without  money  and  without  women.” 

Scripture  parallel . “ The  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all 

evil  ” (1  Tim.  vi.  10.)  Christ’s  disciples  travelled  without 
money  and  without  scrip,  and  “ eschew  the  lusts  of  the  flesh.” 

40.  “ They  practiced  the  extremest  charity  to  the  poor.” 
(c.  ii.  71.) 


212 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


Scripture  parallel.  “ Bestow  all  thy  goods  to  feed  the  poor.* 
(1  Cor.  xiii.  3.) 

41.  “ They  were  skillful  in  interpreting  dreams,  and  in  fore* 
telling  future  events.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “Your  sons  and  daughters  shall  proph- 
esy, and  your  old  men  shall  dream  dreams.”  (Acts  ii.  17.) 

42.  “They  believed  in  a paradise,  . . . and  in  a place  of 
never-ending  lamentations.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “Life  everlasting.”  (Gal.  viii.  8.)  “Weep- 
ing, wailing,  and  gnashing  of  teeth.”  (Matt.  xiii.  42.) 

43.  “ They  affirmed,”  says  Josephus,  “that  God  foreordained 
all  the  events  of  human  life.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “ Foreordained  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world.”  (1  Peter.) 

44.  “ They  believed  in  Mediators  between  God  and  the  souls 
of  men.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “One  Mediator  between  God  and  men.” 
(1  Tim.  ii.  5.) 

45.  “ They  practiced  the  pantomimic  representation  of  the 
death,  burial,  and  resurrection  of  God  ” — Christ  the  Spirit. 

Scripture  parallel.  With  respect  to  the  death,  burial,  and 
resurrection  of  Christ,  see  1 Cor.  xv.  4. 

46.  “They  inculcated  the  forgiveness  of  injuries.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “ Father,  forgive  them  ; for  they  know 

not  what  they  do.”  (Luke  xxiii.  34.) 

47.  “ They  totally  disapproved  of  all  war.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “ If  my  kingdom  were  of  this  world, 
then  would  my  servants  fight.”  (John  xviii.  36.) 

48.  “ They  inculcated  obedience  to  magistrates,  and  to  the 
civil  authorities.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “ Obey  them  which  have  the  rule  over 
you.”  (Heb.  xiii.  17 ; xxvi.  65.) 

49.  “ They  retired  within  themselves  to  receive  interior  rev- 
elations of  divine  truth.”  (c.  ii.  71.) 

Scripture  parallel.  “ Every  one  of  you  hath  a revelation.” 
(1  Cor.  xiv.  26.) 

50.  “ They  were  scrupulous  in  speaking  the  truth.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “Speaking  all  things  in  truth.”  (2 Cor 

vii.  14.) 


CHRIS  T IAN  IT  T ’ 61  ANCIENT  DERIVATION.  213 


51.  “ They  perform  many  wonderful  miracles.7’ 

Scripture  parallel.  Many  texts  teach  us  that  Christ  and  his 
apostles  did  the  same. 

52.  “Essenism  put  all  its  members  upon  the  same  level, 
forbidding  the  exercise  of  authority  of  one  over  another.” 
(Dr.  Ginsburg.) 

Scripture  parallel.  Christ  did  the  same.  For  proof,  see 
Matt.  xx.  25  ; Mark  ix.  35. 

53.  “ Essenistn  laid  the  greatest  stress  on  being  meek  and 
lowly  in  spirit.”  (Dr.  Ginsburg.) 

Scripture  parallel.  See  Matt.  v.  5 ; ix.  28. 

54.  “ The  Essenes  commended  the  poor  in  spirit,  those  who 
hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness,  and  the  merciful,  and  the 
pure  in  heart.”  (Dr.  Ginsburg.) 

Scripture  parallel . For  proof  that  Christ  did  the  same,  see 
Matt. 

55.  “ The  Essenes  commended  the  peacemakers.”  (Dr.  Gins- 
burg.) 

Scripture  parallel . “ Blessed  are  the  peacemakers.” 

56.  “ The  Essenes  declared  their  disciples  must  cast  out  evil 
spirits,  and  perform  miraculous  cures,  as  signs  and  proof  of  their 
faith.”  (Dr.  Ginsburg.) 

Scripture  parallel . Christ’s  disciples  were  to  cast  out  devils, 
heal  the  sick,  and  raise  the  dead,  &e.,  as  signs  and  proof  of  their 
faith.  (Mark  xvi.  17.) 

57.  “ They  sacrificed  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  to  gain  spiritual 
happiness.” 

Scripture  parallel . “ You  abstain  from  fleshly  lusts.”  (1  Peter 

ii.  11.) 

58.  “ The  breaking  of  bread  was  a veritable  ordinance  among 
the  Essenes.” 

Scripture  parallel.  “ He  (Jesus)  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks, 
and  brake  it.”  (Luke  xxii.  19.) 

59.  “ The  Essenes  enjoined  the  loving  of  enemies.”  (Philo.) 

Scripture  parallel . So  did  Christ  say,  “Love  your  ene- 
mies,” &c. 

60.  The  Essenes  enjoined,  “ Doing  unto  others  as  you  would 
have  them  do  unto  you.” 


214 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


Scripture  parallel.  The  Confucian  golden  rule,  as  taught 
by  Christ. 

This  parallel  might  be  extended  much  further,  but  we  will 
proceed  to  present  the  reader  with  a general  description  of 
Essenism,  as  furnished  us  by  Philo,  Josephus,  and  some  Chris- 
tian writers.  Philo,  who  was  born  in  Alexandria  20  B.  C.,  and 
lived  to  60  A.  D.,  and  who  was  himself  an  Essenian  Jew,  in  his 
account  of  them,  says,  “ They  do  not  lay  up  treasures  of  gold 
or  silver,  . . . but  provide  themselves  only  with  the  necessities 
of  life.”  Paul  afterwards,  having  caught  the  same  spirit,  advises 
the  same  course  of  life.  “ Having  food  and  raiment,  therewith 
be  content.”  Contentment  of  mind  they  regarded  as  the 
greatest  of  riches.  They  make  no  instruments  of  war.  They 
repudiate  every  inducement  to  covetousness,  None  are  held 
as  slaves,  but  all  are  free,  and  serve  each  other.  They  are  in- 
structed in  piety  and  holiness,  righteousness,  economy,  &c. 
They  are  guided  by  a threefold  rule : love  of  God,  love  of  virtue, 
and  love  of  mankind.  Of  their  love  of  God  they  give  innumer- 
able demonstrations,  which  is  found  in  their  constant  and  un- 
alterable holiness  throughout  the  whole  of  their  lives,  their 
avoidance  of  oaths  and  falsehoods,  and  their  firm  belief  that 
God  is  the  source  of  all  good,  but  of  nothing  evil.  “ Of  their 
love  of  virtue  they  give  proof  in  their  contempt  for  money,  fame, 
and  pleasures,  their  continence,  easy  satisfying  of  their  wants, 
their  simplicity,  modesty,”  &c.  Their  love  of  man  is  proved 
by  their  benevolence  and  equality,  and  their  having  all  things 
in  common,  which  is  beyond  all  deception.  They  rever- 
ence and  take  care  of  the  aged,  as  children  do  their  parents. 
(Condensed  from  Philo’s  treatise,  “Every  Virtuous  Man  is 
Free”) 

Josephus,  37  A.  D.,  and  who  was  also  at  one  time  a member 
of  the  Essenian  Brotherhood,  furnishes  another  fragmentary 
account  of  the  Essenes  in  his  “Jewish  Wars,”  of  which  the  fol- 
lowing is  the  substance  : — 

“They  love  each  other  more  than  others  (that  is,  are  “par- 
tial to  the  household  of  faith  ” ) ; they  despise  riches,  and  havo 
all  things  in  common,  so  that  there  is  neither  abjectness  of 
poverty  nor  distinction  of  riches  among  them  \ they  change 


CHRISTIANITY'S  ANCIENT  DERIVATION . 215 


neither  garments  nor  shoes  till  they  are  worn  out  or  become 
unfit  for  use ; they  neither  buy  nor  sell  among  themselves  ; 
their  piety  is  extraordinary;  they  never  speak  about  worldly 
matters  before  sunrise ; they  are  girt  about  with  a linen  apron, 
and  have  a baptism  of  cold  water;  they  eat  but  one  kind  of 
food  at  a time,  and  commence  with  a prayer,  and  the  priest 
must  say  grace  before  any  one  eats  (that  is,  breaks  and  blesses  as 
Christ  did)  ; they  also  return  thanks  after  eating,  and  then  put 
off  their  white  garments;  strangers  were  made  welcome  at 
their  tables,  without  money  and  without  price;  they  give  food 
to  the  hungry  and  the  needy,  and  show  mercy  to  all ; they 
curb  their  passions,  restrain  their  anger,  and  claim  to  be  min- 
isters of  peace ; an  oath  they  regard  as  worse  than  perjury ; 
they  excommunicate  offenders  (‘  Go  tell  it  to  the  churches,’ 
says  Christ)  ; they  condemn  finery  in  dress;  though  condemn- 
ing in  most  solemn  terms  oaths,  members  were  admitted  to  the 
secret  brotherhood  by  an  oath  (c  See  thou  tell  no  man,’  said 
Christ) ; they  endured  pain  with  heroic  fortitude,  and  regarded 
an  honorable  death  as  better  than  long  life;  they  read  and 
study  their  Holy  Scriptures  from  youth,  often  prophesy,  and  it 
was  very  seldom  they  failed  in  their  predictions.” 

Dr.  Ginburg’s  testimony,  abridged,  is  as  follows : — 

“ The  Essenes  had  a high  appreciation  of  the  inspired  law 
of  God.  The  highest  aim  of  their  lives  was  to  become  fit 
temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost  (see  1 Cor.  vi.  19)  ; also  to  perform 
miraculous  cures,  and  to  be  spiritually  qualified  for  forerunners 
of  the  Messiah.  They  taught  the  duty  of  mortifying  the  flesh 
and  the  lusts  thereof,  and  to  become  meek  and  lowly  in  spirit ; 
they  answered  by  yea,  yea,  and  nay,  nay  (see  Matt.),  scrupu- 
lously avoiding  oaths;  they  avoided  impure  contact  with  the 
heathen  and  the  world’s  people,  and  lived  retired  from  the 
world,  being  in  numbers  about  four  thousand  ; they  strove  to 
be  like  the  angels  of  heaven  ; there  were  no  rich  and  poor,  or 
masters  and  servants,  amongst  them ; they  lived  peaceably 
with  all  men;  a mysterious  silence  was  observed  while  eating; 
a solemn  oath  was  required  on  becoming  a member  of  the 
secret  order,  which  required  three  things:  1.  Love  to  God  ; 2. 
Merciful  justice  to  all  men,  and  to  avoid  the  wicked,  and  help 


216 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


the  righteous ; 3.  Purity  of  character,  which  implied  love  of 
truth,  .hatred  of  falsehood,  and  strict  observance  of ‘the  mys- 
teries of  godliness’  to  outsiders  — that  is,  ‘heathen  and  publi- 
cans;’ they  endured  suffering  for  righteousness’  sake,  with 
rejoicings,  and  even  sought  it;  regarding  the  body  as  a prison 
for  the  soul,  they  desired  the  time  to  come  to  escape  from  it ; 
they  recognized  eight  different  stages  of  spiritual  growth  and 
perfection:  1.  Bodily  purity ; 2 Celibacy;  3.  Spiritual  purity ; 
4.  The  suppression  of  anger  and  malice,  and  the  cultivation  of  a 
meek,  lowly  spirit;  5.  The  attainment  of  true  holiness ; 6.  Be- 
coming fit  temples  for  the  Holy  Ghost;  7.  The  ability  to  per- 
form miraculous  cures,  and  raise  the  dead ; 8.  Becoming  fore- 
runners of  the  Messiah;  and  finally,  they  took  a solemn  vow 
to  exercise  piety  toward  God  and  justice  toward  all  men,  to 
hate  the  wicked,  assist  the  good  to  keep  clear  of  theft  and  un- 
righteous gains,  to  conceal  none  of  their  ‘ mysteries  of  godli- 
ness’ from  each  other,  or  disclose  them  to  others.  ‘ Great  is  the 
mystery  of  godliness’  (‘See  thou  tell  no  man’);  they  were 
to  walk  humbly  with  God,  shun  bad  society,  forgive  their  ene- 
mies, sacrifice  their  passions,  and  crucify  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  ; 
they  disregarded  bodily  suffering,  and  even  gloried  in  martyr- 
dom, preaching  and  singing  to  God  amid  their  sufferings ; but 
in  their  domestic  habits  they  were  extremely  filthy  ; they  wore 
their  clothes  till  they  became  ragged,  filthy,  and  offensive,  never 
changing  them  till  they  were  worn  out ; their  food  consisted 
of  bread  and  water,  and  wild  roots  and  fruits  of  the  palm  tree  ; 
they  enjoined  the  duty,  not  only  of  forgiving  enemies,  but  of 
seeking  to  benefit  them,  and  of  even  blessing  the  destroyer 
who  took  life  and  property.”  Such  was  the  religion,  such  the 
moral  system,  such  the  devout  piety,  and  such  the  practical 
lives  of  the  Essenian  Jews,  a religious  sect  which  flourished  in 
Alexandria  and  Judea  several  hundred  years  before  the  birth  of 
Christ,  and  went  out  of  history  the  hour  Christianity  came  in. 

Now,  as  the  foregoing  exposition  shows  that  Essenism  and 
Christianity  are  most  strikingly  alike  in  all  their  essential 
features,  that  the  former  system  contains  nearly  every  impor- 
tant doctrine  and  precept  of  the  Christian  religion,  the  question 
occurs  here  as  one  of  momentous  import,  How  is  this  striking 


CHRISTIANITY'S  ANCIENT  DERIVATION.  217 


resemblance,  this  identity  of  character  of  the  two  religions,  to 
be  accounted  for  ? Does  it  not  go  far  toward  proving  that 
Christianity  is  an  outgrowth,  a legitimate  offspring,  of  Judean 
Essenism  ? Indeed,  are  we  not  absolutely  driven  to  such  a con- 
clusion? Let  us  briefly  recite  some  of  the  important  facts 
brought  to  light  by  the  investigation  of  the  character  and  his- 
tory of  these  two  religions,  and  see  if  those  facts  do  not  bring 
them  together,  and  weld  them  as  one  system  — as  one  and  the 
same  religion. 

1.  Both  are  alike,  and  Essenism  is  much  the  older  system. 

2.  Both  religions  are  an  outgrowth  of  Judaism. 

3.  Both  were  known  and  taught  in  Judea  and  in  Alexan- 
dria. 

4.  Josephus  living  in  Judea,  and  Philo  in  Alexandria,  neither 
of  them  speaks  of  Christianity,  or  refers  to  any  such  religion 
by  that  name,  and  yet  both  describe  a religion  inculcating 
the  same  doctrines  and  moral  precepts,  which  they  call  Esse- 
nism. 

Is  not  this  very  nearly  conclusive  proof  that  Essenism  was  only 
another  name  for  Christianity  — that  it  had  not  yet  changed  its 
name  to  Christianity  ? That  famous  standard  author,  Mr.  Gib- 
bon, was  evidently  of  this  opinion  when  he  said,  “ Whether, 
indeed,  the  first  of  that  sect  (the  Essenes)  took  the  name  of 
Christian  when  the  appellation  of  Christian  had  as  yet  been 
nowhere  announced,  it  is  by  no  means  necessary  to  discuss.” 
(Book  II.  chap,  xvi.)  Here  is  evidence  that  Gibbon  believed 
that  the  Essenes,  after  having  borne  that  name  for  centuries, 
changed  the  appellation  to  Christian.  And  we  find  still  stronger 
language  than  this  in  the  writings  of  the  same  author  expres- 
sive of  this  opinion.  In  a note  to  chapter  xv.  he  says,  “It  is 
probable  that  the  Therapeuts  (Essenes)  changed  their  name  to 
Christians,  as  some  writers  affirm,  and  adopted  some  new  arti- 
cles of  faith.”  Here  the  position  is  assumed  that  the  Christian 
religion  is  an  outgrowth  of  Essenism,  that  is,  merely  a continu- 
ation of  that  religion  under  a change  of  name,  with  a slight 
modification  of  its  creed. 

5.  And  then  we  have  the  declaration  of  Christian  writers, 
expressed  in  the  most  positive  terms,  that  Essenism  and  Chris- 


218 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


tianity  were  the  same  religion,  the  former  name  being  used 
at  an  earlier  period.  Hear  Eusebius,  a standard  ecclesiastical 
writer  of  the  fourth  century.  He  asserts  positively,  “ Those 
ancient  Therapeuts  (Essenes)  were  Christians,  and  their  ancient 
writings  were  our  Gospels.”  (Eccl.  Hist.  p.  63.)  Hark!  hark  ! 
my  good  Christian  reader,  here  is  one  of  your  own  sworn  wit- 
nesses testifying  that  the  Essenes  originated  and  established  the 
Christian  religion;  i.  e.,  the  religion  now  known  by  that  name. 
Will  you  then  give  it  up?  If  not,  we  have  other  testimony  of 
a similar  character,  rendering  the  proposition  still  stronger. 
Robert  Taylor  declares,  “ The  learned  Basnage  has  shown 
that  the  Essenes  were  really  Christians  centuries  before 
Christ,  and  that  they  were  actually  in  possession  of  those  very 
writings  which  are  now  our  Gospels  and  Epistles.”  (P.  81.) 
And  then  we  have  the  declaration  of  the  author  of  “ Christ  the 
Spirit”  (p.  110),  that  “the  Christians  were  the  later  Essenes  - — 
that  is,  the  Essenes  of  the  time  of  Eusebius  under  a changed 
name,  that  name  having  been  made  at  Antioch,  where  the  dis- 
ciples were  first  called  Christian  ” The  same  writer  suggests 
that  “ their  sacred  books  are  our  sacred  books.”  We  will  now 
hear  Eusebius  again  : “ It  is  highly  probable  that  their  (the 
Essenes’)  ancient  commentaries,  which  Philo  says  the  Essenes 
have,  are  the  very  Gospels  and  writings  of  the  apostles.”  Based 
upon  this  conclusion,  he  calls  the  Essenes  “the  first  heralds 
of  the  gospel”  “ I find  it,  therefore,  most  probable,”  says  Mr. 
Weilting,  “that  Jesus  and  John  belonged  literally  to  the  society 
of  the  Essenes.”  And  then  the  New  American  Cyclopedia 
furnishes  us  with  the  testimony  of  a very  able  English  author 
of  the  last  century  (De  Quincy),  who  concurs  with  all  the 
writers  cited  above.  “Mr.  De  Quincy  (it  say^;  identified  the 
Essenes  as  being  the  early  Christians;  i.  e.,  the  early  Christians 
were  known  as  Essenes.  Such  testimony,  coming  from  such  a 
source,  is  entitled  to  much  weight.”  (Yol.  i.  p.  157.)  And  to 
the  same  effect  is  the  testimony  of  Bishop  Marsh,  who  admits 
that  our  Gospels  were  drawn  from  those  of  the  Essenes.  (See 
his  edition  of  Michaelis’  translation  of  the  New  Testament.) 

Thus  far  historical  writers . We  will  now  lay  before  the  reader 
some  historical  facts,  fraught  with  unanswerable  logical  potency, 


CHRISTIANITY'S  ANCIENT  DERIVATION  219 


and  pointing  to  the  same  conclusion.  It  is  a fact,  and  one  of 
deep  logical  import,  and  tending  to  corroborate  the  conclusion 
of  some  of  the  writers  cited  above,  who  tell  us  the  Christian 
Gospels  were  first  composed  by  the  Essenes ; that  the  language 
in  which  those  Gospels  were  originally  written  was  Greek,  the 
language  in  which  the  Alexandrian  Essenes  always  wrote, 
while  the  evangelical  writers,  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  and  John, 
being  illiterate  fishermen,  could  have  had  no  knowledge  of  any 
but  the  Jewish,  their  own  mother-tongue,  — at  least  it  is  suscep- 
tible of  satisfactory  proof  that  they  never  wrote  in  any  other 
language.  Hence  the  conclusion  is  irresistible  that  they  were 
not  the  original  authors  of  the  Gospels.  The  works  of  several 
authors  are  now  lying  at  our  elbow,  who  express  the  conviction 
unequivocally  that  the  Gospels  were  copied,  if  not  translated, 
from  older  writings.  Mr,  Le  Clerc,  one  of  the  ablest  writers  of 
his  time,  maintained  this  position,  and  did  it  ably.  Another 
writer,  a Mr.  Hatfield,  was  awarded  a prize  in  1793,  by  the 
theological  faculty  of  Gottingen,  for  an  essay,  in  which  the 
position  was  ably  argued  that  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  and  John 
were  not  the  authors  of  the  books  which  bear  their  names,  but 
were  mere  copyists.  Dr.  Lessing  and  others  concur  with  him 
in  this  conclusion.  A circumstance  confirming  this  verdict  is 
found  in  the  fact  that  the  word  church  occurs  in  our  Gospels, 
which  were  written  before  such  an  institution  was  established 
by  those  who  were  then  called  Christians. 

“ Go  tell  it  to  the  church  ” (Matt,  xviii.  17)  was  uttered  before 
any  steps  had  been  taken  by  the  then  representatives  of  the 
Christian  faith  to  organize  such  a body  — an  evidence  this, 
that  he  alluded  to  the  church  of  the  Essenes,  as  there  were 
no  other  churches  in  existence  at  the  time ; which  leaves  the 
inference  patent  and  irresistible  that  he  and  his  disciples  were 
Essenes,  perhaps  then  under  the  changed  name  of  Christians. 
Centuries  prior  to  that  era  the  Essenes  had  not  only  churches, 
but  their  whole  ecclesiastical  nomenclature  of  bishops,  deacons, 
elders,  priests,  disciples,  scriptures,  gospels,  epistles,  psalms, 
hymns,  mystery,  allegory,  &c.  If  Christianity  was  re-established 
in  the  days  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  they  had  nothing  to 
originate,  either  with  respect  to  doctrines,  precepts,  church 


220 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


polity,  or  ecclesiastical  terms  — all  being  established  for  them 
centuries  before  that  era.  With  these  facts  in  view,  it  seems 
impossible  that  the  two  religions  orders  — Essenes  and  Chris- 
tians— could  have  been  in  existence  at  the  same  time  as  sepa- 
rate institutions.  The  former  must  have  ended  when  the  latter 
commenced.  Josephus  says  “ The  Essenes  were  scattered  far 
and  wide,  and  were  in  every  city,”  being  quite  numerous  in 
Judea  in  his  time.  But  he  makes  no  reference  to  any  sect  or 
religious  order  by  the  title  of  Christian  — a strong  inferential 
evidence,  upon  sound  priori  reasoning,  that  Christianity  as  yet 
was  sailing  under  another  name.  Josephus  must  have  known 
and  named  the  fact,  had  there  been  a Christian  sect  or  disciple 
there  bearing  that  name.  Impossible  otherwise.  We  are  then 
(upon  the  logical  force  of  these  and  many  other  facts)  driven 
to  the  conclusion  that  Christianity  began  when  Essenism 
ended,  and  the  change  was  only  in  name.  I challenge  the 
whole  Christian  world  to  find  the  historical  proof  that  Christian^ 
■ity  commenced  one  hour  before  the  termination  of  Essenism, 
or  of  Essenism  overlapping  the  Christian  religion  so  far  as  to 
survive  one  day  beyond  or  after  its  birth.  I will  confront  them 
with  the  logic  of  dates,  and  defy  them  to  find  any  proof  except 
their  own  unauthorized,  unauthenticated,  and  fictitious  chro- 
nology, that  a Christian  was  ever  known  in  any  country  by  that 
name  prior  to  the  time  of  Tacitus,  104  A.  D.,  who  is  the  first 
of  the  three  hundred  writers  of  that  era  that  makes  any  men- 
tion of  Christianity,  Christ,  or  a Christian,  This  was  long  after 
Josephus’  time,  which  accounts  most  satisfactorily  for  his 
omitting  any  allusion  to  Christ  or  Christianity.  That  religion 
had  not  yet  dropped  the  name  of  Essenism  and  adopted  that  of 
Christianity. 

Now,  hard  indeed  must  distorted  reason  fight  the  ramparts 
of  logic  and  history  to  resist  the  conviction,  in  view  of  the  fore- 
going facts,  that  Christianity  is  simply  an  outcropping  of  Esse- 
nism, either  direct  or  through  Budhism.  And  even  if  it  were 
possible  to  prove  that  the  two  religions  never  became  welded 
together,  yet  it  is  not  possible  to  disprove  the  striking  iden- 
tity of  their  doctrines,  and  the  spirit  of  their  precepts,  and 
the  practical  lives  of  their  disciples.  And  this  identity,  coupled 


CHRISTIANITY'S  ANCIENT  DERIVATION.  221 


with  the  fact  that  Essenism  is  the  older  system,  is  of  itself  most 
superlatively  fatal  to  all  pretension  or  claim  to  originality  for 
the  doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith.  It  is  a matter  of  no  impor- 
tance whether  Christianity  was  originally  known  by  another 
name,  so  long  as  it  can  be  shown  that  its  doctrines  had  all  been 
preached  and  proclaimed  to  the  world  centuries  prior  to  the 
date  assigned  for  its  origin.  And  this  is  proved  by  the  long 
list  of  parallelisms  presented  in  the  incipient  pages  of  this  chap- 
ter. And  this  proof  explodes  the  pretensions  of  Christianity 
to  an  “ original  divine  revelation,”  and  brings  it  down  to  a level 
with  pagan  orientalism.  And  the  fact  that  it  sprang  up  in  a 
country  where  its  doctrine  had  long  been  taught  by  pagans 
and  orientalists,  must  produce  the  conviction,  deep  and  indeli- 
ble, in  all  unbiased  minds,  that  orientalism  was  the  mother  and 
heathenism  the  father  of  the  Christian  religion,  even  in  the 
absence  of  any  other  proof.  In  fact,  no  other  proof  can  be 
needed.  And  what  are  the  arguments,  it  may  be  well  here  to 
inquire,  with  which  orthodox  Christians  attempt  to  meet,  com- 
bat, and  vanquish  the  overwhelming  mass  of  historical  facts 
and  historical  testimonies  we  have  presented  in  preceding 
pages,  tending  to  prove  and  demonstrate  the  oriental  origin  of 
their  religion  and  its  identity  with  Essenism?  Their  whole 
argument  is  comprised  in  the  naked  postulate  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Prideaux,  D.  D.,  that  “ the  Essenes  did  not  believe  in  the  resur- 
rection of  the  physical  body  (but  believed  in  a spiritual  resur- 
rection), and  omit  from  their  creed  the  Trinity  and  Incarna- 
tion doctrine,  and  therefore  they  could  not  have  been  the 
originators  of  the  Christian  religion  ; ” but  this  argument  is  as 
easily  demolished  as  a cobweb,  as  the  following  facts  will 
prove : — 

1.  We  have  but  a fragment  of  the  Essenian  religion,  — but 
one  end  of  their  creed,  — mere  scraps  furnished  us  by  Philo, 
Josephus,  and  Pliny.  We  have  none  of  their  sacred  books 
apart  from  the  Christian  New  Testament. 

2.  They  had  secret  books,  as  we  have  shown,  in  which  doc- 
trines were  taught  which  they  regarded  as  too  sawed  to  be 
thrown  before  the  public,  as  “pearls  before  swine.”  And  no 
doctrines  were  regarded  as  more  sacred  or  secret  in  that  age 


222 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


than  the  doctrines  of  the  Trinity  and  Incarnation.  Christ’s 
injunction,  “See  thou  tell  no  man,”  was  probably  their  motto, 
which  prevented  the  publicity  of  a portion  of  their  doctrines. 
And  as  their  sacred  books,  containing  their  doctrines,  perished 
with  the  extinction  of  the  sect  (except  those  now  found  in  the 
Christian  New  Testament),  a full  knowledge  of  their  doctrines, 
therefore,  never  reached  the  public  mind.  All  religious  sects 
had  secret  doctrines,  designated  as  “ Mysteries  of  Godliness,” 
including  the  principal  Jewish  sects  and  the  earliest  Christian 
churches.  It  is,  therefore,  highly  probable  that  if  we  were  in 
possession  of  all  their  sacred  books,  we  would  be  in  possession 
of  the  proof  that  they  believed  and  taught  in  their  monasteries 
the  doctrines  above  named.  But  we  are  not  left  to  mere  infer- 
ence that  the  Essenes’  creed  did  include  the  doctrines  of  the 
Trinity  and  the  Divine  Incarnation.  We  find  skeletons  of 
these  doctrines  scattered  along  the  line  of  their  history.  Philo 
himself,  an  Essene  teacher,  most  distinctly  teaches  the  doctrine 
of  “the  Incarnation  of  the  Divine  Word  or  Logos/*  And  “Son 
of  God,”  “ Mediator,”  “ Intercessor,”  and  “ Messiah,”  were 
familiar  words  with  him.  The  idea  often  reappears  in  his 
writings,  that  the  “ Word  could  become  flesh;”  that  the  Son 
of  God  could  appear  as  a personality,  and  return  to  the  bosom 
of  the  Father.  Moreover,  one  writer  informs  us  that  the 
Essenes  celebrated  the  birth  and  death  of  a Divine  Savior  as  a 
“Mystery  of  Godliness.”  And  they  claimed  in  their  earlier 
history  to  be  “ forerunners  of  the  Messiah”  — a claim  which 
would  soon  bring  a Messiah  before  the  world,  that  is,  lead 
them  to  deify  and  worship  some  great  man  as  “ The  Messiah .” 
As  for  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  we  have  the  authority  of 
Eusebius  that  they  taught  this  doctrine  too.  So  that  it  is  not 
true  that  they  did  not  recognize  these  two  prime  articles  of 
the  Christian  faith,  the  Incarnation  and  Trinity  doctrines.  Some 
modern  Christians  assert  that  the  Essenes  not  only  omitted  to 
teach  these  doctrines,  but  that,  on  the  other  hand,  they  taught 
other  doctrines  not  taught  in  the  Christian  New  Testament. 
This  is  not  improbable.  For  the  Christian  religion  has  been 
characterized  by  frequent  changes  in  its  doctrines  in  every 
stage  of  its  practical  history,  as  was  also  the  Jewish  religion 


CHRISTIANITIES  ANCIENT  DERIVATION.  225 


which  preceded  it,  and  from  which  it  emanated.  Judaism  is  a 
perpetual  series  of  changes.  It  changed  even  the  name  of 
its  God  from  Elohim  to  Jehovah.  Its  leader  and  founder 
Abram  was  changed  to  Abraham,  and  his  grandson  and  suc- 
cessor from  Jacob  to  Israel.  And  we  have  the  works  of  many 
Christian  writers  in  our  possession  who  prove  by  their  own 
bible  that  the  Jews  made  many  changes  in  their  religious  polity 
and  religious  doctrines.  This  is  more  especially  observable 
when  they  came  in  contact  with  nations  teaching  a different  re- 
ligion. Their  whole  history  shows  they  were  prone  to  imitate, 
and  borrow,  and  always  did  borrow  on  such  occasions,  and 
engraft  the  new  doctrines  thus  obtained  into  their  own  creed, 
and  thus  effected  important  changes  in  their  religion.  We 
have  the  authority  of  Dr.  Campbell  for  saying  the  Jews  never 
believed  and  taught  the  doctrine  of  future  punishment  (and 
other  doctrines  that  might  be  named)  till  after  they  were 
brought  in  contact  with  Persians  in  Babylon  who  had  long 
taught  these  doctrines.  (See  Dissertation  VI.)  And  Dr.  En- 
field declares  their  theological  opinions  underwent  thorough 
changes  during  this  period  of  seventy  years’  captivity.  Even 
their  national  title  was  changed  at  one  period  from  Israelites  to 
Jews.  With  all  these  changes  of  names,  titles,  and  doctrines 
in  view,  it  is  not  incredible  that  one  of  the  Jewish  sects  should 
change  its  name  from  Essenes  to  Christians,  and  with  this 
change  modify  some  of  the  doctrines.  And  more  especially 
as  their  title,  according  to  Dr.  Ginsburg,  had  been  changed 
before  from  Chassidim  to  Essenes.  And  PLtlo  at  one  period 
calls  them  Therapeuts,  while  Eusebius  saytj  the  Therapeuts 
were  Christians.  Put  this  and  that  together,  and  the  question 
is  forever  settled. 

Now,  with  all  this  overwhelming  mass  of  historical  evidence 
before  us,  “ piled  mountain  high,5’ tending  to  prove  the  truth  of 
the  proposition  that  Christianity  is  the  offspring  and  out- 
growth of  ancient  Judean  Essenism,  we  feel  certain  that 
no  sophistry,  from  interested  charlatans  or  stereotyped  creed 
worshipers,  can  stave  off  or  obliterate  the  conviction  in  un- 
prejudiced minds,  that  the  proposition  is  most  amply  proven. 


224 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


We  will  now  collate  Christianity  with  another  ancient  re« 
ligious  system,  which  we  are  certain  it  will  not  be  disputed, 
after  the  comparison  is  critically  examined,  contains  the  sum 
total  of  the  doctrines  and  teachings  of  Christianity  in  all  their 
details. 


CHRIST  AND  CHRISHNA. 


225 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THREE  HUNDRED  AND  FORTY-SIX  STRIKING 
ANALOGIES  BETWEEN  CHRIST  AND  CHRISHNA. 

I.  Their  Miraculous  History  and  Leading  Principles. 

1.  The  advent  of  each  Savior  was  miraculously  foretold  by 
prophets. 

2.  The  fallen  and  degenerate  condition  of  the  human  race  is 
taught  in  the  religion  of  each. 

3.  A plan  of  restoration  or  salvation  is  provided  for  in  each 
case. 

4.  A divine  Savior  is  considered  necessary  in  both  cases. 

5.  The  necessity  of  atoning  for  sin  is  taught  in  the  religion 
of  each. 

6.  A God,  or  Son  of  God,  is  selected  as  the  victim  for  the 
atoning  sacrifice  in  each  case. 

7.  This  God  is  sent  down  from  heaven  in  each  case  in  the 
form  of  a man. 

8.  The  God  or  Savior  in  each  case  is  the  second  person  of 
the  Trinity. 

9.  Chrishna,  as  well  as  Christ,  was  held  to  be  really  God  in- 
carnate. 

10.  The  mission  of  each  Savior  is  the  same. 

11.  There  is  a resemblance  in  name  — Chrishna  and  Christ. 

12.  Chrishna,  as  well  as  Christ,  was  incarnated  and  born  of  a 
woman. 

13.  The  mother  in  each  case  was  a holy  virgin. 

14.  The  same  peculiarities  of  a miraculous  conception  and 
birth  are  related  of  each. 

15.  Each  had  an  adopted  earthly  father. 

15 


226 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


16.  The  father  of  Chrishna,  as  well  as  that  of  Christ,  was  a 
carpenter. 

17.  God  is  claimed  as  the  real  father  in  both  cases. 

18.  A Spirit  or  Ghost  was  the  author  of  the  conception  of 
each. 

19.  There  was  rejoicing  on  earth  when  each  Savior  was  born. 

20.  There  was  also  joy  in  heaven  at  the  birth  and  advent  of 
each. 

21.  Chrishna,  as  well  as  Christ,  was  of  royal  descent. 

22.  Their  mothers  were  both  reputedly  pious  women. 

28.  The  names  of  two  mothers  are  somewhat  similar  — Mary 
and  Maia. 

24.  Each  has  a special  female  friend  — Elizabeth  in  the  one 
case,  and  the  wife  of  Nanda  in  the  other. 

25.  Neither  Savior  was  born  in  a house,  but  both  in  obscure 
situations. 

26.  Both  were  born  on  the  25th  of  December. 

27.  Both,  at  birth,  were  visited  by  wise  men  and  shepherds. 

28.  The  visitors  conducted  by  a star  in  each  case. 

29.  The  rite  of  purification  observed  by  the  mothers  of  each. 

30.  An  angel  warning  of  impending  danger  in  each  case. 

31.  The  incumbent  ruler  was  hostile  in  each  case. 

32.  A bloody  decree  in  each  case  for  the  destruction  of  the 
infant  Savior. 

33.  A flight  of  the  parents  takes  place  in  both  cases. 

34.  The  parents  of  one  sojourned  at  Muturea,  the  other  at 
Mathura. 

35.  Each  Savior  had  a forerunner  — John  the  Baptist  in  one 
case,  Bali  Rama  in  the  other. 

36.  Both  were  preternaturally  smart  in  childhood. 

37.  Each  disputed  with  and  vanquished  learned  opponents. 

38.  Both  became  objects  of  search  by  their  parents. 

39.  And  both  occasioned  anxiety,  if  not  sorrow,  to  their 
parents. 

40.  The  mother  of  each  had  other  children  — that  is,  chil- 
dren begotten  by  man  as  well  as  God. 

41.  Both  Saviors  retired  to,  and  spent  considerable  time  in, 
\he  wilderness. 


CHRIST  AND  CHRIS HN A . 


227 


42.  The  religious  rite  of  “fasting”  was  practiced  by  each 
Savior. 

43.  Each  delivered  a noteworthy  sermon,  or  series  of  moral 
lessons. 

44.  Chrishna,  as  well  as  Christ,  was  called  and  considered 
God. 

45.  Each  was  both  God  and  the  Son  of  God  (so  regarded). 

46.  “ Savior  ” was  one  of  the  divine  titles  of  each. 

47.  Each  was  designated  “ the  Savior  of  man,”  “ the  Savior 
of  the  world,”  &c. 

48.  Both  expressed  a desire  to  “ save  all.” 

49.  Each  sustained  the  character  of  a Messiah. 

50.  Chrishna,  as  well  as  Christ,  was  a Redeemer. 

51.  Each  Savior  was  called  “ Shepherd.” 

52.  Both  were  believed  to  be  the  Creator  of  the  world. 

53.  Each  is  sometimes  spoken  of,  also,  as  only  an  agent  in 
the  creation. 

54.  Both  were  the  “ Light  and  Life  ” of  men. 

55.  Each  “ brought  life  and  immortality  to  light.” 

56.  Both  are  represented  as  “ the  seed  of  the  woman  bruis- 
ing the  serpent’s  head.” 

57.  Was  Christ  a “Dispenser  of  grace,”  so  was  the  Hindoo 
Savior. 

58.  One  was  “the  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,”  the  other  “the 
lion  of  the  tribe  of  Sakia.” 

59.  Christ  was  “the  Beginning  and  the  End,”  Chrishna  “ the 
Beginning,  the  Middle,  and  the  End.” 

60.  Both  proclaimed,  “ I am  the  Resurrection.” 

61.  Each  was  “ the  way  to  the  Father.” 

62.  Both  represented  emblematically  “ the  Sun  of  Righteous- 
ness.” 

63.  Each  is  figuratively  represented  as  being  “all  in  all.” 

64.  Both  speak  of  having  existed  prior  to  human  birth. 

65.  A dual  existence  — an  existence  in  both  heaven  and  earth 
at  once  — is  claimed  by  or  for  both. 

66.  Chrishna,  as  well  as  Christ,  was  “ without  sin.” 

67.  Both  assumed  the  divine  prerogative  of  forgiving  sins. 

68.  The  mission  of  each  was  to  deliver  from  sin. 


228 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


69.  Both  came  to  destroy  the  devil  and  his  works. 

70.  The  doctrine  of  the  “atonement”  is  practically  realized 
in  each  case. 

71.  Each  made  a voluntary  offering  for  the  sins  of  the  world. 

72.  Both  were  human  as  well  as  divine. 

78.  Chrishna,  as  well  as  Christ,  was  worshiped  as  God  abso- 
lute. 

74.  Each  was  regarded  as  “ the  Lord  from  beaven.” 

75.  Chrishna,  as  well  as  Christ,  had  applied  to  him  all  the 
attributes  of  God. 

76.  Was  Christ  omniscient,  so  was  Chrishna. 

77.  Was  one  omnipotent,  so  was  the  other  (so  believed). 

78.  And  both  are  represented  as  being  omnipresent. 

79.  Each  was  believed  to  be  divinely  perfect. 

80.  Was  one  “Lord  of  lords,”  so  was  the  other. 

81.  Each  embodied  the  “power  and  wisdom  of  God.” 

82.  All  power  was  committed  unto  each  (so  claimed). 

88.  Chrishna  performed  many  miracles  as  well  as  Christ. 

84.  One  of  the  first  miracles  of  each  was  the  cure  of  a leper. 

85.  Each  healed  “ all  manner  of  diseases.” 

86.  The  work  of  casting  out  devils  constitutes  a part  of  the 
mission  of  each. 

87.  Each  practically  proved  his  power  to  raise  the  dead. 

88.  A miracle  appertaining  to  a tree  is  related  of  both. 

89.  Both  could  read  the  thoughts  of  the  people. 

90.  The  power  to  detect  and  eject  evil  spirits  was  claimed 
by  both. 

91.  Both  had  the  keys  or  control  of  death. 

92.  Each  led  an  extraordinary  life. 

98.  Each  had  a character  for  supernatural  greatness. 

94.  Both  possessed  or  claimed  a oneness  with  the  Father. 

95.  A “oneness  with  his  Lord  and  Master”  is  claimed,  also, 
for  the  disciples  of  each. 

96.  A strong  reciprocal  affection  between  Master  and  disciple 
'n  each  case. 

97.  Each  offers  to  shoulder  the  burdens  of  his  disciples. 

98.  A portion  of  the  life  of  each  was  spent  in  preaching. 

99.  Both  made  converts  by  their  miracles  and  preaching. 


CHRIST  AND  CHRISHNA . 


229 


100.  A numerous  retinue  of  believers  springs  up  in  each  case. 

101.  Both  had  commissioned  apostles  to  proclaim  their  reli- 
gion. 

102.  Each  was  an  innovator  upon  the  antecedent  religion. 

103.  A beautiful  reform  in  religion  was  inaugurated  by  each 
Savior. 

104.  Each  opposed  the  existing  popular  priesthood. 

105.  Both  abolished  the  law  of  lineal  descent  in  the  ancient 
priesthood. 

106.  Each  was  an  object  of  conspiracy  by  his  enemies. 

107.  Humility  and  external  poverty  distinguished  the  life  of 
each. 

108.  Each  denounced  riches  and  rich  men,  and  loathed  and 
detested  wealth. 

109.  Both  had  a character  for  meekness. 

110.  Chastity  or  unmarried  life  was  a distinguishing  charac- 
teristic of  each. 

111.  Mercy  was  a noteworthy  characteristic  of  each. 

112.  Both  were  censured  for  associating  with  sinners. 

113.  Each  was  a special  friend  to  the  poor. 

114.  A poor  widow  woman  receives  marked  attention  by 
each. 

115.  Each  encounters  a gentile  woman  at  a well. 

116.  Both  submitted  unresistingly  to  injuries  and  insults. 

117.  General  practical  philanthropy  and  impartiality  marks 
the  life  of  each  Savior. 

118.  Each  took  more  pleasure  in  repentant  sinners  than  in 
virtuous  saints. 

119.  Both  practically  disclosed  God’s  attempt  to  reconcile 
the  world  to  himself. 

120.  The  closing  incidents  in  the  earth-life  of  each  were 
strikingly  similar. 

121.  A memorable  last  supper  marked  the  closing  career  of 
both. 

122.  Both  were  put  to  death  by  “ wicked  hands.” 

123.  Chrishna,  as  well  as  Christ,  was  crucified. 

124.  Darkness  attended  the  crucifixion  of  each. 

125.  Both  were  crucified  between  two  thieves. 


230 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


126.  Each  is  reported  to  have  forgiven  his  enemies. 

127.  The  age  of  each  at  death  corresponds  (being  between 
thirty  and  thirty-six  years). 

128.  Each,  after  giving  up  the  ghost,  descends  into  hell. 

129.  The  resurrection  from  the  dead  is  a marked  period  in 
the  history  of  each. 

130.  Each  ascends  to  heaven  after  his  resurrection. 

131.  Many  people  are  reported  to  have  witnessed  the  ascen 
sion  in  each  case. 

132.  Each  is  reported  as  having  both  descended  and  ascended. 

133.  The  head  of  each,  while  living  on  earth,  was  anointed 
with  oil. 

II.  Doctrines. 

134.  There  is  a similarity  in  the  doctrines  of  their  respective 
religions. 

135.  The  same  doctrines  are  propagated  by  the  disciples  of 
each. 

136.  The  doctrine  of  future  rewards  and  punishments  is  a 
part  of  each  system. 

137.  Analogous  views  of  heaven  are  found  in  each  system. 

138.  A third  heaven  is  spoken  of  in  each  system. 

139.  All  sin  must  be  punished  according  to  the  bible  teach- 
ings of  each. 

140.  Each  has  a hell  provided  for  the  wicked. 

141.  Both  teach  a hell  of  darkness  and  a hell  of  light. 

142.  An  immortal  worm  finds  employment  in  the  hell  of  each 
system  (“the  worm  that  dieth  not”). 

143.  The  arch-demon  of  the  under  world  uses  brimstone  for 
fuel  in  one  case,  and  oil  in  the  other. 

144.  The  motive  for  future  punishment  is  in  both  cases  the 
same. 

145.  Each  has  a purgatory  or  sort  of  half-way  house. 

146.  Special  divine  judgments  on  nations  are  taught  by  each. 

147.  A great  and  final  day  of  judgment  is  taught  by  each. 

148.  A general  resurrection  also  is  taught  in  each  religion. 

149.  That  there  is  a “Judge  of  the  dead”  is  a doctrine  of 
?ach. 


CHRIST  AND  CHRISHNA. 


231 


150.  Two  witnesses  are  to  report  on  human  actions  in  tho 
final  assizes. 

151.  We  are  furnished  in  each  case  with  the  dimension  of 
heaven  or  “ the  holy  city.” 

152.  Man  is  enjoined  to  strive  against  temptation  to  sin  by 
each. 

153.  And  repentance  for  sin  is  a doctrine  taught  by  the  bible 
of  each. 

154.  Each  has  a prepared  city  for  a paradise. 

155.  The  bibles  of  both  teach  that  we  have  no  continuing 
city  here. 

156.  Souls  are  carried  to  heaven  by  angels,  as  in  the  instance 
of  Lazarus,  in  each  case. 

157.  A belief  in  angels  or  spirits  is  a tenet  of  each  religion. 

158.  The  doctrine  of  fallen  or  evil  angels  is  found  in  both 
systems. 

159.  Obsession  by  wicked  or  evil  spirits  is  taught  by  each. 

160.  Both  teach  that  sickness  or  disease  is  caused  by  evil 
spirits. 

161.  Each  has  a king-devil  or  arch-demon  with  a posse  of 
subalterns  or  evil  spirits. 

162.  Both  bibles  record  the  story  of  a “ hellaballoo  ” or  war 
in  heaven. 

163.  Both  teach  that  an  evil  man  can  neither  do  nor  speak  a 
good  thing. 

164.  Both  teach  that  sin  is  a disadvantage  in  the  present  life 
as  well  as  in  the  future. 

165.  The  doctrine  of  free  will  or  free  agency  is  taught  by 
each. 

166.  Predestination  seems  to  be  inferentially  taught  by 
each. 

167.  In  each  case  man  is  a prize  in  a lottery,  with  God  and 
the  devil  for  ticket-holders. 

168.  Both  make  the  devil  (or  devils)  a scape-goat  for  sin. 

169.  Both  teach  the  devil  or  evil  spirits  as  the  primary  cause 
of  all  evil. 

170.  The  destiny  of  both  body  and  soul  is  pointed  out  by 
each. 


232 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


171.  The  true  believers  are  known  as  “saints”  under  both 
systems. 

172.  Saints  with  “ white  robes”  are  spoken  of  by  each. 

173.  Both  specify  “ the  Word  or  Logos  ” as  God. 

174.  Wisdom,  too,  is  personified  as  God  by  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures of  each. 

175.  Both  teach  that  God  may  be  known  by  his  works. 

176.  The  doctrine  of  one  supreme  God  is  taught  in  each  bible. 

177.  Light  and  truth  are  important  words  in  the  religious 
nomenclature  of  each. 

178.  Both  profess  a high  veneration  for  truth. 

179.  “ Where  the  treasure  is,  there  is  the  heart  also,”  is  taught 
by  each. 

180.  “ Seek  and  ye  shall  find”  is  a condition  prescribed  by 
each. 

181.  Religious  toleration  is  a virtue  professed  by  both. 

182.  All  nations  are  professedly  based  on  an  equality  by  each. 

183.  Both,  however,  enjoin  partiality  to  “the  household  of 
faith.” 

184.  The  doors  of  salvation  are  thrown  open  to  high  and  low, 
rich  and  poor,  by  each. 

185.  Each  professes  to  have  “the  only  true  and  saving  faith.” 

186.  There  is  a mystery  in  the  mission  of  each  Savior. 

187.  “ Rama  ” is  a well-known  word  in  the  bible  of  each. 

188.  “The  understanding  of  the  wise'7  is  a phrase  in  each. 

189.  Both  speak  figuratively  of  “ the  blind  leading  the  blind  ” 

190.  “A  new  heaven  and  a new  earth  ” is  spoken  of  by  each. 

191.  The  doctrine  of  a Trinity  in  the  Godhead  is  taught  by 
each. 

192.  Baptism  by  water  is  a tenet  and  ordinance  of  each. 

193.  “Living  water”  is  a metaphor  found  in  each. 

194.  Baptism  by  fire  seems  also  to  be  recognized  by  each. 

195.  Fasting  is  emphatically  enjoined  by  each. 

196.  Sacrifices  are  of  secondary  importance  in  each  system, 
and  are  partially  or  wholly  abandoned  by  each. 

197.  The  higher  law  is  paramount  to  ceremonies  in  each 
religion. 

198.  The  bible  of  each  religion  literally  condemns  idolatry. 


CHRIST  AND  CHRISHNA . 


238 


199.  Botli  also  make  concessions  to  idolatry 

200.  Polygamy  is  not  literally  encouraged  nor  openly  con- 
demned by  either. 

201.  The  power  to  forgive  sins  is  conferred  on  the  disciples 
of  each. 

202.  The  doctrine  of  blasphemy  is  recognized  by  each. 

203.  Pantheism,  or  the  reciprocal  in-being  of  God  in  nature 
and  nature  in  God,  is  taught  by  both. 

III.  Bibles  and  Holy  Scriptures. 

204.  Each  has  a bible  which  is  the  idolized  fountain  of  all 
religious  teaching. 

205.  Both  have  an  Old  Testament  and  a New  Testament* 
virtually. 

206.  The  New  Testament  inaugurates  a new  and  reform  sys- 
tem of  religion  in  each  case. 

207.  “ All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God”  is  the 
faith  of  the  disciples  of  each. 

208.  Each  system  claimed  to  have  its  inspired  men  to  write 
its  scriptures. 

209.  Both  hold  a spiritual  qualification  necessary  to  under- 
stand their  bibles. 

210.  It  is  a sin  to  become  “ wise  beyond  what  is  written  ” in 
their  respective  bibles. 

211.  Both  recommend  knowing  the  Scriptures  in  youth. 

212.  Alteration  of  their  respective  bibles  is  divinely  inter- 
dicted. 

213.  The  bible  is  an  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  practice  in  both 
cases. 

214.  “All  Scripture  is  profitable  for  doctrine”  is  the  faith  of 
each. 

215.  Both  explain  away  the  errors  of  their  bibles. 

IY.  Spirituality  of  the  two  Religions. 

216.  The  religion  of  Chrishiia  is  pre-eminently  spiritual  ao 
less  than  Christ’s. 


234 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


217.  Both  teach  that  “ to  be  carnally  minded  is  death.” 

218.  External  rites  are  practically  dispensed  with  in  each 
religion. 

219.  The  spiritual  law  written  on  the  heart  is  recognized  by 
each. 

220.  “ God  is  within  you,”  Budhists  teach  as  well  as  Chris- 
tians. 

221.  Both  recognize  an  invisible  spiritual  Savior. 

222.  “God  dwells  in  the  heart,”  say  Hindoos  as  well  as 
Christians. 

223.  An  inward  recognition  of  the  divine  law  is  amply  seen 
in  both. 

224.  Both  confess  allegiance  to  an  inward  monitor. 

225.  The  doctrine  of  inspiration  and  internal  illumination  is 
found  in  both. 

226.  The  indwelling  Comforter  is  believed  in  by  both. 

227.  Both  also  teach  that  religion  is  an  inward  work. 

228.  Both  speak  of  being  born  again  — i.  e.,  the  second  birth. 

229.  A spiritual  body  is  also  believed  in  by  both. 

230.  “ Spiritual  things  are  incomprehensible  to  the  natural 
man,”  say  each. 

231.  God’s  spiritually  sustaining  power  Budhists  also  ac- 
knowledge. 

232.  Both  give  a spiritual  interpretation  to  their  bibles. 

233.  Each  has  a new  and  more  interior  law  superseding  the 
old  law. 

234.  The  spiritual  cross  — self-denial  or  asceticism  — is  a 
prominent  feature  of  each  religion. 

235.  The  duty  of  renouncing  and  abandoning  the  external 
world  is  solemnly  enjoined  by  each. 

236.  Budhists  renounce  the  world  more  practically  than 
Christians. 

237.  Withdrawal  or  seclusion  from  society  is  recommended 
by  each. 

238.  Bodily  suffering  as  a benefit  to  the  soul  is  encouraged 

by  each. 

239.  Voluntary  suffering  for  righteousness’  sake  is  a virtue 
with  each. 


CHRIST  AND  CHRISHNA. 


235 


240.  The  cross  is  a religious  emblem  in  each  system. 

241.  Both  glory  in  “ the  religion  of  the  cross”  as  better  than 
a religion  without  suffering. 

242.  Hence  both  teach  “ the  greater  the  cross  the  greater  the 
crown.” 

243.  Earthly  pleasures  are  regarded  as  evil  by  both. 

244.  Contempt  for  the  body  as  an  enemy  to  the  soul  is  visi- 
ble in  both. 

245.  Retirement  for  religious  contemplation  is  a duty  with 
each. 

246.  The  forsaking  of  relations  is  also  enjoined  by  each. 

247.  Spiritual  relationship  is  superior  to  external  relationship 
with  both. 

248.  “ To  die  is  great  gain  ” we  are  taught  by  each. 

249.  A subjugation  of  the  passions  is  a religious  duty  with 
each. 

250.  The  road  to  heaven  is  a narrow  one  with  each. 

251.  The  same  state  of  religious  perfection  is  aspired  to  by 
the  disciples  of  each. 

V.  The  Doctrine  op  Faith  or  Belief. 

252.  Faith  is  an  all-important  element  and  doctrine  with 
each. 

253.  Heresy,  or  want  of  faith,  is  a sin  of  great  magnitude 
with  both. 

254.  Faith  in  the  Savior  is  a condition  to  salvation  by 
both. 

255.  Confessing  the  Savior  is  also  required  in  both  cases. 

256.  “Believe  or  be  damned  ” is  the  condition,  or  profess  to 
believe  the  terrible  sine  qua  non  to  salvation  by  each. 

257.  Skeptics  or  unbelievers  are  with  both  the  chief  of  sin- 
ners. 

258.  “ Faith  can  remove  mountains,”  either  with  a Budhist 
or  a Christian. 

259.  Both  contrast  faith  with  works. 

260.  Faith  without  works  is  dead  — so  teach  both  Budhists 
and  Christians. 


236 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


VI.  The  Doctrine  and  Practice  of  Prayer. 

261.  Prayer  is  an  important  rite  in  each  religion. 

262.  Private  or  secret  prayer  is  recommended  by  both. 

263.  Each  has  also  a formula  of  prayer. 

264.  “Pray  without  ceasing”  is  a Budhist  as  well  as  a Chris- 
tian injunction. 

265.  Praying  to  their  respective  Saviors  in  sickness  and  in 
health  is  a custom  with  both. 

266.  The  custom  of  praying  for  the  dead  is  recognized  in  each 
system. 

VII.  Treatment  of  Enemies. 

267.  It  is  a Hindoo  as  well  as  a Christian  injunction  to  treat 
enemies  kindly. 

268.  Passive  submission  to  injuries  and  abuse  is  enjoined  by 
both. 

269.  The  holy  Scriptures  of  both  require  us  to  pray  for  en- 
emies, and  feed  them. 

270.  And  even  love  to  enemies  is  a part  of  the  spirit  of  each 
religion. 

VIII.  The  Millennium. 

271.  Hindoos,  like  Christians,  prophesy  of  a great  millen- 
nial era. 

272.  There  is  a remarkable  similarity  in  their  notions  with 
respect  to  it. 

273.  Both  anticipate  a second  advent  or  new  Savior  on  the 
occasion. 

274.  The  destruction  of  the  world  also  is  to  take  place  in 
both  cases. 

275.  And  an  entire  renovation  and  a new  order  of  things  are 
to  be  established  in  each  case. 

IX.  Miracles. 

276.  There  is  almost  a constant  display  of  miraculous  power 
in  each  system. 


CHRIST  AND  CHRISHNA. 


237 


277.  The  disciples  of  both  are  professedly  endowed  with  this 
power. 

278.  Miraculous  cures  of  the  lame,  the  Mind,  and  the  sick  are 
reported  in  both  cases. 

279.  Miracles  of  handling  poisonous  reptiles  with  impunity 
are  reported  by  both. 

280.  Swallowing  deadly  poison  is  enjoined  by  Christians  and 
practiced  by  Hindoos. 

281.  Many  cases  of  the  miraculous  ejection  of  devils  are  re- 
ported by  both. 

282.  The  miracle  of  thought-reading  is  displayed  by  both. 

283.  The  saints  in  both  cases  are  reported  as  raising  the  dead. 

X.  Precepts. 

284.  “The  kingdom  of  heaven”  was  to  be  sought  first  of  all 
things  in  each  case. 

285.  Love  to  God  is  a paramount  obligation  under  each  sys- 
tem. 

286.  And  the  worship  of  God  is  an  essential  requisition  in 
each  religious  polity. 

287.  “ Cease  to  do  evil  and  learn  to  do  well  ” is  virtually  en- 
joined by  each. 

288.  An  inward  knowledge  of  God  is  taught  as  essential  by 
both  systems. 

289.  A reliance  on  works  is  discouraged  by  both. 

290.  Purity  of  heart  is  inculcated  by  Hindoos  as  well  as 
Christians. 

291.  Speak  and  think  evil  of  no  man  is  a gospel  injunction 
of  each. 

292.  A love  of  all  beings  is  more  prominently  the  spirit  of 
Budhism  than  that  of  Christianity. 

293.  The  practice  of  strict  godly  virtue  is  enjoined  by  both. 

294.  Moderation  and  temperance  are  recommended  by  both. 

295.  Patience  is  a virtue  in  each  religion. 

296.  The  duty  of  controlling  our  thoughts  is  taught  by 
each. 

297.  Charity  has  a high  appreciation  by  each. 


238 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


298.  Both  make  the  poor  special  objects  of  attention. 

299.  The  practice  of  hospitality  is  recommended  by  each. 

300.  Humility  is  a duty  and  a virtue  under  both  systems. 

301.  Mirthfulness  or  light  conversation  is  forbidden  by  each. 

302.  Purity  of  life  is  a duty  with  Hindoos  as  well  as  Chris- 
tians. 

303.  Chasteness  in  conversation  is  inculcated  by  both. 

304.  “Respect  to  persons”  is  a sin  in  the  moral  polity  of 
both. 

305.  Alms-giving  is  religiously  enjoined  by  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures of  both. 

306.  Both  teach  that  w it  is  better  to  give  than  to  receive.” 

307.  Loyalty  to  rulers  is  a moral  requisition  of  each  system 

308.  Honor  to  father  and  mother  is  esteemed  a great  virtue 
by  both. 

309.  The  correct  training  of  children  is  with  each  a scrip- 
tural duty. 

310.  “Look  not  upon  a woman”  is  more  than  hinted  by 
each. 

311.  The  reading  of  the  holy  Scriptures  is  enjoined  by  both. 

312.  Lying  or  falsehood  is  with  each  a sin  of  great  magni- 
tude. 

313.  Swearing  is  discountenanced  by  both  religions. 

314.  Theft  or  stealing  is  specially  condemned  by  both. 

315.  Both  deprecate  and  condemn  the  practice  of  war. 

316.  Both  discountenance  fighting. 

317.  Neither  of  them  professes  to  believe  in  slavery. 

318.  Drunkenness  and  the  use  of  wine  are  more  specifically 
condemned  by  the  Hindoo  religion. 

319.  Adultery  and  fornication  are  heinous  sins  in  the  eyes 
of  both. 

320.  Both  condemn  covetousness  as  a great  sin. 

321.  Budhists  more  practically  condemn  anger  than  Chris- 
tians do. 

XI.  Miscellaneous  Analogies. 

322.  Both  have  their  apocryphal  as  well  as  their  canonical 
Scriptures. 


CHRIST  AND  CHRISHNA . 


23& 


323.  Stories  are  found  in  the  bible  of  each  which  would  be 
rejected  if  found  elsewhere. 

324.  Both  make  their  bible  a finality  in  matters  of  faith. 

325.  Both  have  had  their  councils  and  commentaries  to 
reveal  their  bibles  over  again. 

326.  Numerous  schisms,  divisions,  sects,  and  creeds  have 
sprung  up  in  each. 

327.  Various  religious  reforms  have  sprung  up  under  each. 

328.  Conversion  from  one  religious  sect  to  another  is  common 
to  both. 

329.  Both  religions  have  been  troubled  with  numerous  skep- 
tics or  infidels. 

330.  Both  have  often  resorted  to  new  interpretations  for 
their  bibles  to  suit  the  times. 

331.  The  unconverted  are  stigmatized  by  each. 

332.  “ Knock  and  it  shall  be  opened”  is  the  invitation  of 
each. 

333.  Public  confession  of  sins  in  class-meetings  is  known  to 
each. 

334.  Death-bed  repentance  often  witnessed  under  both  reli- 
gious systems. 

335.  A belief  in  haunted  houses  incident  to  the  religious 
countries  of  both. 

336.  A superior  respect  for  women  claimed  by  each. 

337.  An  idolatrous  veneration  for  religious  ancestors  by  each. 

338.  Both  sustain  a numerous  horde  of  expensive  priests. 

339.  A divine  call  or  illumination  to  preach  claimed  by 
each. 

340.  Religious  martyrdom  the  glory  of  each. 

341.  Both  have  encountered  “perils  by  sea  and  land”  for 
their  religion. 

342.  He  who  loseth  his  life  (for  his  religion)  shall  find  it,  say 
both. 

343.  Both  in  ancient  times  suffered  much  persecution. 

344.  The  disciples  of  both  have  suffered  death  without  flinch- 
ing from  the  faith. 

345.  Each  sent  numerous  missionaries  abroad  to  pieach  and 
convert. 


240 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


346.  And,  finally,  each  cherished  the  hope  of  converting  the 
world  to  their  religion. 

The  author  has  in  his  possession  historical  quotations  to  prove 
the  truth  of  each  one  of  the  above  parallels.  He  has  all  the 
historical  facts  on  which  they  were  constructed  found  in  and 
drawn  from  the  sacred  books  of  the  Hindoo  religion  and  the 
works  of  Christian  writers  descriptive  of  their  religion.  But 
they  would  swell  the  present  volume  to  unwieldy  dimensions, 
and  far  beyond  its  proper  and  prescribed  limits,  to  present  them 
here ; they  are  therefore  reserved  for  the  second  volume,  and 
may  be  published  in  pamphlet  form  also. 

In  proof  of  the  correctness  of  the  foregoing  comparative 
analogies,  we  will  now  summon  the  testimony  of  various  au- 
thors setting  forth  the  historical  character  of  the  Hindoo  God 
Chrishna,  and  the  essential  nature  of  his  religion,  so  far  as  it 
approximates  in  its  doctrines  and  moral  teachings  to  the  Chris- 
tian religion.  We  will  first  hear  from  Colonel  Wiseman,  for  ten 
years  a Christian  missionary  in  India. 

“There  is  one  Indian  (Hindoo)  legend  of  considerable  im- 
portance,” says  this  writer.  . . . “ This  is  the  story  of  Chrishna, 
the  Indian  Apollo.  In  native  legends  he  is  represented  as  an 
Avatar,  or  incarnation  of  the  Divinity.  At  his  birth,  choirs  of 
Devitas  (angels)  sung  hymns  of  praise,  while  shepherds  sur- 
rounded his  cradle.  It  was  necessary  to  conceal  his  birth  from 
the  tyrant  ruler,  Cansa,  to  whom  it  had  been  foretold  that  the 
infant  Savior  should  destroy  him.  The  child  escaped  with  his 
parents  beyond  the  coast  of  Lamouna.  For  a time  he  lived  in 
obscurity,  and  then  commenced  a public  life  distinguished  for 
prowess  and  beneficence.  He  washed  the  feet  of  the  Brahmins, 
and  preached  the  most  excellent  doctrines ; but  at  length  the 
power  of  his  enemies  prevailed.  . . . Before  dying,  he  foretold 
the  miseries  which  would  take  place  in  the  Cali-yuga,  or  wicked 
age  (Dark  Age)  of  the  world.” 

“Chrishna  (says  another  writer)  taught  his  followers  that 
they  alone  were  the  true  believers  of  the  saving  faith ; throwing 
down  the  barriers  of  caste,  and  elevating  the  dogmas  of  their 
faith  above  the  sacerdotal  class,  he  admitted  every  one  who 


CHRIST  AND  C1IRISHNA. 


241 


felt  an  inward  desire  to  the  ministry  to  the  preaching  of  their 
religion.  A system  thus  associating  itself  with  the  habits,  feel- 
ings, and  personal  advantages  of  its  disciples  could  not  fail 
to  make  rapid  progress.”  (Upham’s  History.  Doctrines  of 
Budhism.) 

“Budhism  inculcates  benevolence,  tenderness,  forgiveness  of 
injuries,  and  love  of  enemies;  and  forbids  sensuality,  love  of 
pleasure,  and  attachment  to  worldly  objects.”  (Judson.) 

“ At  the  moment  of  his  (Chrishna’s)  conception  a God  left 
heaven  to  enter  the  womb  of  his  mother  (a  virgin).  Imme- 
diately after  his  birth  he  was  recognized  as  a divine  personage, 
and  it  was  predicted  that  he  would  surpass  all  previous  divine 
incarnations  in  holiness.  Every  one  adored  him,  saluting  him 
as  ‘the  God  of  Gods.’  When  twenty  years  of  age  he  went 
into  a desert,  and  lived  there  in  the  austerest  retirement,  pov- 
erty, simplicity,  and  virtue,  spending  his  whole  time  in  religious 
contemplation.  He  was  tempted  in  various  ways,  but  his  self- 
denial  resisted  all  the  seductive  approaches  of  sin.  He  declared, 
‘ Religion  is  my  essence.’  He  experienced  a lively  opposition 
from  the  priests  attached  to  the  ancient  creeds  (as  Christ  sub- 
sequently did).  But  he  triumphed  over  all  his  enemies  after 
holding  a discussion  with  them  (as  Christ  did  with  the  doctors 
in  the  Temple).  He  revised  the  existing  code  of  morals  and 
the  social  law.  He  reduced  the  main  principles  of  morality 
to  four,  viz. : mercy , aversion  to  cruelty , unbounded  sympathy 
for  all  animated  beings , and  the  strictest  adherence  to  the 
moral  law . He  also  gave  a decalogue  of  commandments,  viz. : 
1.  Not  to  kill.  2.  Not  to  steal.  3.  To  be  chaste.  4.  Not  to 
testify  falsely.  5.  Not  to  lie.  6.  Not  to  swear.  7.  To  avoid 
all  impure  words.  8.  To  be  disinterested.  9.  Not  to  take  re- 
venge. 10.  And  not  to  be  superstitious.  This  code  of  morals 
was  firmly  established  in  the  hearts  of  his  followers.”  (Abridged 
from  Hardy’s  Manual  of  Budhism.) 

“ It  was  prophesied  in  olden  times  that  a person  would  arise 
and  redeem  Hindostan  from  ‘the  yoke  of  bondage.’  4 At  mid- 
night, when  the  birth  of  Chrishna  was  taking  place,  the  clouds 
emitted  low  music,  and  poured  down  a rain  of  flowers.  The 
celestial  child  was  greeted  with  hymns  by  attending  spirits. 

16 


242 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS, 


The  room  was  illuminated  by  his  light,  and  the  countenances 
of  his  father  and  mother  emitted  rays  of  glory,  and  they  bowed 
in  worship.’  4 The  people  believed  he  was  a God.’  They  eager- 
ly caught  the  words  which  fell  from  his  lips,  which  taught  his 
divine  mission,  and  they  called  him  the  ‘Holy  One,’  and  finally 
the  4 Living  God.’  He  performed  miraculous  cures.  At  his 
birth  a marvelous  light  illumed  the  earth.  His  followers  bap- 
tized, and  performed  miraculous  cures.  And  he,  when  a child, 
attracted  attention  by  his  miracles.  While  attending  the  herds 
with  his  foster-father  a great  serpent  poisoned  the  river,  which 
caused  the  death  of  cows  and  shepherd-boys  when  they  drank 
of  it,  whom  Chrishna  restored  to  life  by  a look  of  divine  power. 
His  life  was  devoted  to  mercy  and  charity.  He  left  paradise 
from  pure  compassion,  to  die  for  suffering  sinners.  He  sought 
to  lead  men  to  better  paths  and  lives  of  virtue  and  rectitude. 
He  suffered  to  atone  for  the  sins  of  the  world ; and  the  sinner, 
through  faith  in  him,  can  be  saved.  Christ  and  Chrishna  both 
taught  the  equality  of  man.  Prayers  addressed  to  Chrishna 
were  after  this  fashion  : 4 O thou  Supreme  One ! thy  essence  is 
inscrutable.  Thou  art  all  in  all.  The  understanding  of  man 
cannot  reach  thy  Almighty  Power.  I,  who  know  nothing,  fly 
to  thee  for  protection.  Show  mercy  unto  me,  and  enable  me 
to  see  and  know  thee.’  Chrishna  replies,  4 Have  faith  in  me. 
No  one  who  worships  me  can  perish.  Address  thyself  to  me 
as  the  only  asylum.  I will  deliver  thee  from  sin.  I am  ani- 
mated with  equal  benevolence  toward  all  beings.  I know 
neither  hatred  nor  partiality.  Those  who  adore  me  devoutly 
are  in  me  and  I in  them’”  — 44  Christ  within  you  the  hope  of 
glory.”  (Abridged  from  Mr.  Tuttle.) 

44  If  we  consider  that  Budhism  proclaimed  the  equality  of  all 
men  and  women  in  the  sight  of  God,  that  it  denounced  the 
impious  pretensions  of  the  most  mischievous  priesthood  the 
world  ever  saw,  and  that  it  inculcated  a pure  system  of  practi- 
cal morality,  we  must  admit  that  the  innovation  was  as  advan- 
tageous as  it  was  extensively  spread  and  adopted.”  (Hue’s 
Journey  through  China,  chap,  v.) 

44  To  Chrishna  the  Hindoos  were  indebted  for  a code  of  pure 
and  practical  morality,  which  inculcated  charity  and  chastity, 


CHRIST  AND  C HR  IS  HN A . 


243 


performance  of  good  works,  abstinence  from  evil,  and  general 
kindness  to  all  living  things  .”  (Cunningham.) 

u Budhisin  never  confounds  right  and  wrong,  and  never  ex- 
cuses any  sin.”  (Catharine  Beecher.) 

“ He  (Chrishna)  honored  humanity  by  his  virtues.”  (St.  Hi- 
laire.) 

“ It  is  probable  that  every  incident  in  his  (Chrishna’s)  life  is 
founded  in  fact,  which,  if  separated  from  surrounding  fable, 
would  afford  a history  that  would  scarce  have  an  equal  in  the 
importance  of  the  lessons  it  would  teach.”  (Hardy’s  Manual 
of  Budhism.) 

“ He  (Chrishna)  undertakes  and  counsels  a constant  struggle 
against  the  body.  In  his  eyes  the  body  is  the  enemy  of  man’s 
soul  (as  Paul  thought  when  he  spoke  of  cour  vile  bodies’)* 
He  aims  to  subdue  the  body  and  the  burning  passions  which 
consume  it.  . . . He  requires  humility,  disregard  of  worldly 
wealth,  patience  and  resignation  in  adversity,  love  to  enemies, 
religious  tolerance,  horror  at  falsehood,  avoidance  of  frivolous 
conversation,  consideration  and  esteem  for  women,  sanctity  of 
the  marriage  relation,  non-resistance  to  evil,  confession  of  sins, 
and  conversion.”  (St.  Hilaire.) 

“ Budhism  has  been  called  the  Christianity  of  the  East.” 
(Abel  Remuset.) 

“ The  doctrine  and  practical  piety  of  their  bible  (the  Bagha- 
vat  Gita)  bear  a strong  resemblance  to  those  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures. It  has  scarcely  a precept  or  principle  that  is  not  found 
in  the  (Christian)  bible.  And  were  the  people  to  live  up  to  its 
principles  of  peace  and  love,  oppression  and  injury  would  be 
known  no  more  within  their  borders.  ...  It  has  no  mythology 
of  obscene  and  ferocious  deities,  no  sanguinary  or  impure  ob- 
servances, no  self-inflicting  tortures,  no  tyrannizing  priesthood, 
no  confounding  of  right  and  wrong  by  making  certain  iniquities 
laudable  in  worship.  In  its  moral  code,  its  description  of  the 
purity  and  peace  of  the  first  ages,  and  the  shortening  of  man’s 
life  by  sin,  it  seems  to  follow  genuine  traditions.  In  almost 
every  respect  it  seems  to  be  the  best  religion  ever  invented  by 
man.”  (Rev.  II.  Malcom’s  Travels  in  Asia.) 

“ If  the  morality  of  Budhism  be  examined,  its  exhortations 


244 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


to  guard  the  will,  to  curb  the  thoughts,  to  exercise  kindness 
toward  others,  to  abstain  from  wrong  to  all,  it  propounds  a very 
high  standard  of  practice.”  (Upham’s  Doctrines  and  History 
of  Budhism.) 

“ It  seeks  the  highest  triumphants  of  humanity  in  the  exer- 
cise of  devotion,  self-contemplation,  and  self-denial.”  (Theog- 
ony  of  the  Hindoos,  by  Bjornsjerma.) 

“And  the  doctrines  of  Budhism  are  not  alone  in  the  beauty 
of  their  sentiments  and  the  excellence  of  much  of  their  moral- 
ity. 4 It  is  not  permitted  to  you  to  return  evil  for  evil  ’ is  one 
of  the  sentiments  of  Socrates.”  (Rev.  H.  S.  Hardy’s  Eastern 
Monachism.) 

44  Budhism  insists  on  the  necessity  of  taking  the  intellectual 
faculties  for  guides  in  philosophical  researches.”  (Tiberghien.) 

“It  sought  to  wean  mankind  from  the  pleasures  and  vanities 
of  life  by  pointing  to  the  transitoriness  of  all  human  enjoyment.” 
(Smith’s  Mongolia.) 

44  The  principal  characteristics  of  Budhism  are  the  doctrines 
of  mildness  and  the  universal  brotherhood  of  man.”  (Ibid.) 

“ Life  is  a state  of  probation  and  misery,  according  to  Budh- 
ism.” (TJpham,  chap,  vi.) 

“The  Brahmins  found  fault  with  him  (Chrishna)  for  receiv- 
ing as  disciples  the  outcasts  of  Hindoo  society  (as  the  Jews  did 
Christ  for  fellowshiping  publicans  and  sinners).  But  he  (Chrish- 
na) replied,  4 My  law  is  a law  of  mercy  to  all.’  ” (Hue’s 
Voyages  through  China.) 

“ Budhism  attracted  and  furnished  consolation  for  the  poor 
and  unfortunate.”  (Ibid.) 

“ Budhism  is  a rationalistic  and  reform  system  as  compared 
with  Brahminism.  Landresse  expresses  his  high  admiration  of 
the  heroism  with  which  the  Budhist  missionaries  before  Christ 
crossed  streams  and  seas  which  had  arrested  armies,  and  trav- 
ersed deserts  and  mountains  upon  which  no  caravans  dared  to 
venture,  and  braved  dangers  and  surmounted  obstacles  which 
had  defied  the  omnipotence  of  the  emperors.”  (A  note  on 
Landresse’s  Foe  Koui  Fi.) 

“ If  we  addressed  a Mogul  or  Thibetan  this  question,  Who 


CHRIST  AND  CHRISHNA. 


245 


is  Chrishna?  the  reply  was,  instantly, 4 The  Savior  of  men.7” 
(Hue’s  Journey  through  China.) 

44  Chrishna,  the  incarnate  Deity  of  the  Sanscrit  romance,  con- 
tinues to  this  hour  the  darling  God  of  the  women  of  India.  . . . 
Chrishna  was  the  person  of  Vishnu  (God)  himself  in  the  hu- 
man form.”  (Asiat.  Researches,  260.) 

“ Respectable  natives  told  me  that  some  of  the  missionaries 
had  told  them  that  they  were  even  now  almost  Christians  ” 
(owing  to  the  two  religions  being  so  nearly  alike).  (Ibid.) 

“ All  that  converting  the  Hindoos  to  Christianity  does  for 
them  is  to  change  the  object  of  their  worship  from  Chrishna  to 
Christ.”  (Robert  Cheyne.) 

44  Brahininism  or  Budhism  in  some  of  its  forms  is  said  to  con- 
stitute the  religion  of  considerably  more  than  half  the  human 
race.  It  teaches  the  existence  of  one  supreme,  eternal,  and  un- 
created God,  called  Brahma,  who  created  the  world  through 
Chrishna,  the  second  member  of  the  Trinity.”  Paul  says,  God 
created  the  world  through  Jesus  Christ,  the  second  member  of 
the  Christian  Trinity.  (Eph.  iii.  9.)  How  striking  the  resem- 
blance ! “ The  doctrine  of  the  incarnation,  the  descent  of  the 

Deity  upon  earth,  and  his  manifestation  in  a human  form  for  the 
redemption  of  mankind,  seems  to  have  existed  in  the  shape  of 
prophecy  or  fact  in  all  ages  of  the  world.  Hindooism  teaches 
nine  of  these  incarnations.  Furthermore,  it  teaches  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Trinity,  the  fall  and  redemption  of  man,  and  a 
state  of  future  rewards  and  punishments  in  a future  life.  . . . 
This  religion  in  chief  of  Asia  is  traceable  to  remote  ages.  The 
doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  represented  in  the  Elephantine  cav- 
ern, and  taught  in  the  Mahabarat,  which  goes  back  lor  its  ori- 
gin nearly  two  thousand  years  before  Christ.”  (New  York 
Sunday  Despatch,  1855.) 

44  In  the  year  3600,  Chrishna  descended  to  the  earth  for  the 
purpose  of  defeating  the  evil  machinations  of  Chivan  (the 
devil),  as  Christ  4 came  to  destroy  the  devil  and  his  works.’  (See 
John  iii.  8.)  After  a fierce  combat  with  the  devil,  or  serpent, 
he  defeated  him  by  bruising  his  head  — he  receiving,  during 
the  contest,  a wound  in  the  heel.  (4  It  [the  serpent]  shall  bruise 


246 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


tliy  head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel.’  — Gen.  iii.  15.)  He 
died  at  last  between  two  thieves.  . . . He  led  a pure  and  holy 
life,  and  was  a meek,  tender,  and  benevolent  being,  and  enjoined 
charity,  hospitality,  and  mercy,  and  forbade  lying,  prevarica* 
lion,  hypocrisy,  and  overreaching  in  dealing,  and  pilfering,  and 
theft,  and  violence  toward  any  being.”  (Lecture  before  the 
Free  Press  Association  in  1827.) 

“ The  birthplace  of  the  Hindoo  hero  (Chrishna)  is  called 
Mathura,  which  is  easily  changed,  and  by  correct  translation  be- 
comes Maturea,  the  place  where  Christ  is  said  to  have  stopped, 
between  Nazareth  and  Egypt.  . . . To  show  his  humility  he 
washed  the  feet  of  the  Brahmins  (as  Christ  is  said  to  have 
washed  the  feet  of  the  Jews  — see  John  xiii.  14).  One  day  a 
woman  came  to  him  and  anointed  his  hair  with  oil,  in  return 
for  which  he  healed  her  maladies.  One  of  his  first  miracles  was 
that  of  healing  a leper,  like  Christ  (see  Mark  i.  4).  Finally, 
he  was  crucified,  then  descended  to  Hades.  (It  is  said  of 
Christ,  ‘his  soul  was  not  left  in  hell.’  — Acts  ii.  81.)  He 
(Chrishna)  rose  from  the  dead  and  ascended  to  Voicontha” 
(heaven).  (Higgins’  Anacalypsis,  vol.  ii.  p.  239.) 

Now,  we  ask,  is  it  any  wonder,  in  view  of  the  foregoing  his- 
torical exposition,  that  Eusebius  should  exclaim,  “The  religion 
of  Jesus  Christ  is  neither  new  nor  strange  ” ? (Eccl.  Hist.  ch.  iv.) 
Truly  did  St.  Augustine  say,  “This,  in  our  day, is  the  Christian 
religion,  not  as  having  been  unknown  in  former  times,  but  as 
having  recently  received  that  name.” 

Here,  then,  we  pause  to  ask  our  good  Christian  reader,  Where 
is  your  original  Christianity  now?  or  what  constitutes  the 
revealed  religion  of  Jesus  Christ?  or  where  is  the  evidence 
that  any  new  religion  was  revealed  by  him  or  preached  by  him, 
seeing  we  have  all  his  religion,  as  shown  by  the  foregoing  his- 
torical citations,  included  in  an  old  heathen  system  more  than 
a thousand  years  old  when  Jesus  Christ  was  born?  We  find 
it  all  here  in  this  old  oriental  system  of  Budhism  — every  essen- 
tial part,  particle,  and  principle  of  it.  We  find  Christianity  all 
here  — its  Alpha  and  Omega,  its  beginning  and  end.  We  find 
it  here  in  all  its  details,  — its  root,  essence,  and  entity,  — all  its 
“ revealed  doctrines,”  religious  ideas,  beautiful  truths,  senseless 


CHRIST  AND  C IIRISIINA . 


24 1 


dogmas  and  oriental  phantoms.  Not  a doctrine,  principle,  oi 
precept  of  the  Christian  system,  but  that  is  here  proclaimed  ta 
the  world  ages  before  “ the  angels  announced  the  birth  of  a 
divine  babe  in  Bethlehem.”  Will  you,  then,  persist  in  claiming 
that  “truth,  life,  and  immortality  came  by  Jesus  Christ,”  and 
that  “ Christ  came  to  preach  a new  gospel  to  the  world,  and  to 
set  forth  a new  religion  never  before  heard  amongst  men  ” (to 
use  the  language  of  Archbishop  Tillotson),  when  the  historical 
facts  cited  in  this  work  demonstrate  a hundred  times  over  that 
such  a position  is  palpably  erroneous  ? Will  you  still  persist, 
with  all  those  undeniable  facts  staring  you  in  the  face  (proving 
and  re-proving,  with  overwhelming  demonstration,  that  the 
statement  is  untrue),  in  declaring  that  “the  religion  of  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  only  true  and  soul-saving  religion,  and  all  other 
systems  are  mere  straw,  stubble,  tradition,  and  superstition  ” (as 
asserted  by  a popular  Christian  writer),  when  no  mathematician 
ever  demonstrated  a scientific  problem  more  clearly  than  we 
have  proved  in  these  pages  that  all  the  principal  systems  of  the 
past,  by  no  means  excepting  Christianity,  are  essentially  alike 
in  every  important  particular  — all  their  cardinal  doctrines 
being  the  same,  differing  only  in  unimportant  details  ? 

Seeing,  then,  that  all  systems  of  religion  have  been  found  to 
be  essentially  alike  in  spirit  and  in  practice,  the  all-important 
question  arises  here,  What  is  the  true  cause  assignable  for  this 
striking  resemblance  ? How  is  it  to  be  accounted  for?  Perhaps 
some  of  our  good  Christian  readers,  unacquainted  with  history, 
may  cherish  the  thought  that  all  the  oriental  systems  brought 
to  notice  are  but  imitations  of  Christianity;  that  they  were  re- 
constructed out  of  materials  obtained  from  that  source ; that 
Christianity  is  the  parent,  and  they  the  offspring.  But,  alas 
for  their  long-cherished  idol,  those  who  entertain  such  forlorn 
hopes  are  “ sowing  to  the  wind,  and  are  doomed  to  disappoint- 
ment.” With  the  exception  of  Mahomedanism  alone,  Christian- 
ity is  the  youngest  system  in  the  whole  catalogue.  The  his- 
torical facts  to  prove  this  statement  are  voluminous.  But  as 
it  needs  no  proof  to  those  who  have  read  religious  history,  but 
little  space  will  be  occupied  with  citations  for  this  purpose. 
With  respect  to  the  antiquity  of  the  principal  oriental  system, 


248 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


we  need  only  quote  the  testimony  of  Sir  William  Jones,  a de 
vout  Christian  writer,  who  spent  years  in  India,  and  whose 
testimony  will  be  accepted  by  any  person  acquainted  with  his 
history.  He  makes  the  emphatic  declaration,  “ That  the  name 
of  Christina,  and  the  general  outline  of  his  history,  were  long 
anterior  to  the  birth  of  our  Savior,  and  probably  to  the  time  o** 
Homer  (900  B.  C.),  we  know  very  certainly.”  (Asiat.  Res.  vol.  i. 
p.  254.)  No  guess-work  about  it.  “ We  know  very  certainly .” 
And  being  a scholar,  a traveler,  and  a sojourner  among  the 
Hindoos,  and  well  versed  in  their  history,  no  person  ever  had  a 
better  opportunity  to  know  than  he.  We  will  hear  this  re- 
nowned author  further.  “In  the  Sanscrit  dictionary,  compiled 
more  than  two  thousand  years  ago,  we  have  the  whole  history 
of  the  incarnate  deity  (Chrishna),  born  of  a virgin,  and  miracu- 
lously escaping  in  his  infancy  from  the  reigning  tyrant  of  his 
country  (Cansa).  He  passed  a life  of  the  most  extraordinary 
and  incomprehensible  devotion.  His  birth  was  concealed  from 
the  tyrant  Cansa,  to  whom  it  had  been  predicted  that  one  born 
at  that  time,  and  in  that  family,  would  destroy  him ; ” i.  e., 
destroy  his  power.  (Asiat.  Res.  vol.  i.  p.  278.)  This  writer 
also  states  that  the  first  Christian  missionaries  who  entered 
India  were  astonished  to  find  there  a religion  so  near  like  their 
own,  and  could  only  account  for  it  by  supposing  that  the  devil, 
foreseeing  the  advent  of  Christ,  originated  a system  of  religion 
in  advance  of  his,  and  “just  like  it.”  Stated  in  other  words, 
he  got  out  the  second  edition  of  the  gospel  plan  of  salvation 
before  the  first  edition  was  published  or  had  an  existence. 
Rather  a smart  trick  this,  thus  to  outwit  God  Almighty. 

With  respect  to  the  vast  antiquity  of  the  Hindoo  oriental 
religion,  which  indicates  it  as  being  not  only  the  source  from 
which  the  materials  of  the  Christian  religion  were  drawn,  but 
as  being  the  parent  of  all  the  leading  systems,  with  their  three 
thousand  subordinate  branches  which  existed  at  a much  earlier 
period  than  Christianity,  we  need  only  point  to  the  deep  chis- 
eled sculptures  and  imperishable  monuments  enstamped  on 
their  time-honored  temples,  tombs,  altars,  vases,  columns, 
pagodas,  ruined  towers,  &c.,  which,  with  cotemporary  inscrip- 
tions, warrant  us  in  antedating  the  religion  of  the  Himma- 


CHRIST  AND  CHRISTINA. 


249 


lehs  far  beyond  the  authentic  records  of  any  other  religion 
that  has  floated  down  to  us  on  the  stream  of  time.  The  numer- 
ous images  of  their  crucified  Gods,  Chrishna  and  Sakia,  em- 
blazoned on  their  old  rock  temples  in  various  parts  of  the 
country,  some  of  which  are  contructed  of  clay  porphyry,  now 
the  very  hardest  species  of  rock,  with  their  attendant  inscrip- 
tions in  a language  so  very  ancient  as  to  be  lost  to  the  memory 
of  man,  vie  with  the  Sanscrit  in  age,  the  oldest  deciphered 
language  in  the  world. 

All  these  and  a hundred  corroboratory  historical  facts  fix  on 
India  as  being  the  birthplace  of  the  mother  of  all  religions 
now  existing,  or  that  ever  had  an  existence,  while  the  great 
workshop  in  which  they  were  subsequently  remodeled  was  in 
Alexandria  in  Egypt,  whose  theological  schools  furnished  the 
model  for  nearly  every  system  now  found  noticed  on  the  page 
of  history  — Christianity  of  course  included.  So  much  for 
the  unrivaled  antiquity  of  the  Hindoo  religion.  Now,  the  more 
important  query  arises,  What  relationship  does  ancient  heathen 
or  Hindoo  Budhism  bear  to  Christianity  ? What  is  the  evi- 
dence that  the  latter  is  an  outgrowth  of  the  former?  As  an 
answer  to  this  question,  the  reader  will  please  note  the  follow- 
ing facts  of  history  : — 

1.  Alexandria,  the  home  of  the  world’s  great  conqueror,  was 
at  one  period  of  time  the  great  focal  center  for  religious  specu- 
lation and  propagandism,  the  great  emporium  for  religious  dog- 
mas throughout  the  East,  and  a place  of  resort  for  the  disciples 
of  nearly  every  system  of  religious  faith  then  existing. 

2.  In  this  capital  city,  comprising  about  five  hundred  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  were  established  a voluminous  library,  and 
vast  theological  schools,  in  which  men  of  every  religious  order, 
and  of  every  phase  of  faith,  met  and  exchanged  religious  ideas, 
and  borrowed  new  doctrines,  with  which  they  remodeled  their 
former  systems  of  faith,  amounting  in  some  cases  to  an  entire 
change  of  their  long-established  creeds. 

3.  In  these  theological  schools  the  Jewish  sect,  which  after- 
ward became  the  founders  of  Christianity,  were  extensively 
represented  ; for,  let  it  be  noted,  its  first  disciples  and  found- 
ers had  all  been  Jews,  probably  of  the  Essene  sect.  “For  a 


250 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


long  time  the  Christians  were  but  a Jewish  sect,”  says  M. 
Reuss’  “ History  of  Christian  Theology.”  Alexander  liad? 
previous  to  this  time  (thr t is,  about  380  B.  C.),  subjected  the 
whole  of  Western  Asia  to  his  dominions,  including,  of  course, 
“ The  Holy  Land  ” — Judea. 

4.  By  this  act  a large  portion  of  the  Jewish  nation  were 
transferred  from  their  own  country  to  Alexandria.  And  this 
number  was  afterward  vastly  increased  by  Alexander’s  suc- 
cessor, Ptolemy  Sotor,  who  carried  off  and  settled  in  that 
credal  city  one  hundred  thousand  more  Jews. 

5.  As  the  result,  in  part,  of  these  repeated  calamities,  “ the 
Lord’s  chosen  people”  were  literally  broken  up.  They  lost 
their  law,  lost  their  leader  and  lawgiver,  lost  their  language, 
lost  the  control  of  their  country,  the  “ Promised  Land?  which 
(they  verily  believed)  the  Lord  had  deeded  to  them  in  fee 
simple,  and  ratified  in  the  high  court  of  heaven,  and  had  de- 
clared they  should  hold  and  possess  forever.  And  finally  they 
partially  lost  their  nationality,  being  literally  dissolved  and 
broken  up;  and  were  finally  almost  lost  to  history  — the  ten 
tribes  disappearing  entirely. 

6.  The  Jews  had  ever  manifested  a proneness  for  copying  after 
the  religious  customs  of  their  heathen  neighbors,  and  engraft- 
ing their  doctrines  into  their  own  creeds,  as  their  bible  history 
furnishes  ample  proof. 

7.  In  Alexandria  a very  superior  opportunity  was  afforded 
for  doing  this,  excelling  in  this  respect  any  previous  period  of 
their  history. 

8.  The  shattered  condition  of  their  own  religion,  with  all  its 
conventional  creeds,  customs,  and  ceremonies,  now  suspended 
and  literally  prostrated,  as  above  shown,  vastly  augmented  the 
temptation  ever  rife  with  them  to  make  another  change  in 
their  religion,  and  subject  their  creed  to  another  installment  of 
new  doctrines,  by  which  it  became  Christianity. 

9.  The  liberal  character  and  tolerant  spirit  of  the  political 
and  religious  institutions  of  the  kingdom  of  Alexandria,  with  its 
vast  and  attractive  library  of  two  hundred  thousand  volumes, 
established  principally  by  Ptolemy  Philadelpbus,  with  othei 
attractive  features  already  pointed  out,  furnished  great  facili* 


CHRIST  AND  CHRIS HN A . 


251 


ties,  as  well  ns  increased  temptations  to  religious  propagandists 
to  absorb  new  theories,  and  make  new  creeds  out  of  the  vast 
medley  of  religious  doctrines  and  speculative  dogmas  preached 
and  propagated  in  that  royal  city  by  the  disciples  and  repre- 
sentatives of  nearly  every  religious  system  then  in  existence, 
brought  together  by  the  attractions  above  specified. 

10  Hence  every  consideration  would  lead  us  to  conclude, 
taken  in  connection  with  the  facts  above  -stated,  and  the  well- 
known  borrowing  proclivity  and  imitative  propensity  of  the 
Jews,  that  they  would  not,  and  could  not,  withstand  the  over- 
weening and  overpowering  temptation  to  make  another  radical 
change  in  their  religion  by  a new  draught  on  the  boundless 
reservoir  of  speculative  ideas,  religious  tenets,  and  specious 
theories  then  glowing  in  the  popular  schools  of  Alexandria. 

11.  All  the  facts  above  enumerated  would  impel  us  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  Jews  would  — and  every  page  of  history 
touching  the  matter  proves  they  did  — make  important  changes 
in  their  religion  by  this  contact  with  the  oriental  systems,  as 
they  had  repeatedly  done  before.  Some  of  this  proof  we  will 
here  present,  to  show  how  they  originated  Christianity. 

12.  “The  schools  of  Alexandria,”  says  Mr.  Enfield,  a Chris- 
tian writer,  “ by  pretending  to  teach  sublime  doctrines  concern- 
ing God  and  divine  things,  enticed  men  of  different  countries  and 
religions,  and  among  the  rest  the  Jews,  to  study  its  mysteries, 
and  incorporate  them  with  their  own.  . . . The  Jewish  faith 
mixed  with  the  Pythagorean,  and  afterward  with  the  Egyp- 
tian oriental  theology  ” (that  is,  they  became  Essenes  in  the 
Grecian  school  of  Pythagoras,  who  taught  the  doctrines  of 
that  religious  order,  then  Budhists  in  the  Egyptian  schools  of 
Alexandria).  And  finally,  with  Christ  as  their  leader,  who 
taught  the  doctrines  of  both  schools  (they  being  essential- 
ly alike),  they  assumed  the  name  of  Christian  in  honor  of 
him,  and  thus  is  Christianity  from  Essene  Budhism. 

18.  Beers,  in  his  “History  of  the  Jews,”  sustains  the  above 
statement  by  the  declaration  that  the  Essenian  Jews  “ fled  to 
Egypt  at  the  time  of  the  Babylonian  captivity,  and  there  be- 
came acquainted  with  the  Pythagorean  philosophy,  and  in- 
grafted it  upon  the  religion  of  Moses,”  which  would  make  them 


252 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


Essenian  Budhists — for  Cunningham  assures  us  that  “the 
doctrines  of  Pythagoras  were  intensely  Budhistic.”  (Philsa. 
Topus,  chap,  x.) 

14.  We  will  condense  a few  more  historical  testimonies  rela- 
tive to  the  entire  change  of  the  Jewish  faith,  while  in  Alexandria, 
as  well  as  on  other  occasions,  to  show  how  easy  and  natural  it 
was  for  that  portion  of  the  Jews  who  afterward  became  the 
founders  of  Christianity  to  slide  into  and  adopt  Essenian 
Budhism,  whose  doctrines  they  took  to  constitute  the  Christian 
religion. 

15.  Mr.  Gibbon  (chap,  xxi.)  declares  that  the  theological 
opinions  of  the  Jews  underwent  great  changes  by  their  contact 
with  the  various  foreigners  they  found  in  Alexandria.  Mr. 
Tytler  likewise,  in  his  “ Universal  History,”  assures  us  that  the 
Jewish  religion  “ became  totally  changed  by  the  intermixture 
of  heathen  doctrines .”  Dr.  Campbell  also  testifies  that  “their 
views  came  pretty  much  to  coincide  with  those  of  the  pagans.” 
(See  his  Dissertation,  vi.)  And  the  author  of  “The  Expositor 
for  1854  ” complains  that  the  pagan  “ theology  stole  upon  them 
from  every  quarter,  and  mingled  in  all  the  views  of  the  then 
known  tribes,  so  that  by  the  year  150  B.  C.  it  had  wrought 
visible  changes  in  their  notions  and  habits  of  thought.”  (P. 
423.)  Here  we  have  the  proof  that  the  whole  Jewish  religion 
underwent  a change  in  Alexandria. 

16.  Now,  most  certainly  a nation  or  sect  professing  a religion 
so  easily  changed,  and  possessing  a character  so  fickle,  or  so 
impressible  as  to  yield  on  every  slight  occasion,  and  embrace 
every  opportunity  to  imbibe  new  religious  ideas  and  doctrines, 
would  easily,  if  not  naturally,  slide  into  the  adoption  of  the  re- 
ligious system  then  promulgated  in  Alexandria  under  the  name 
of  Budhism,  and  afterward  remodeled  or  transformed,  and 
called  Christianity. 

17.  The  Jews  of  the  Essenian  order,  as  \ye  have  in  part 
shown  in  a previous  chapter,  set  forth  in  their  creed  all  the 
leading  doctrines  now  comprised  in  the  Christian  religion  hun- 
dreds of  years  before  the  advent  of  Christ,  not  excepting  the 
doctrine  of  the  divine  incarnation  and  its  adjuncts,  as  these 
concomitants  of  the  present  popular  faith,  we  will  now  prove* 


CHRIST  AND  CHRISTINA. 


253 


were  not  unknown  to  the  Jewish  theology,  but  constituted  a 
part  of  the  religion  of  some  of  the  principal  Jewish  sects.  That 
standard  Christian  author,  Mr.  Milman,  in  his  “ History  of  Chris- 
tianity,” tells  us  that  “the  doctrine  of  the  incarnation  (‘God 
manifest  in  the  flesh  ’)  was  the  doctrine  from  the  Ganges,  and 
even  the  shores  of  the  Yellow  Sea  to  the  Ilissus.  It  was  the 
fundamental  principle  of  the  Indian  Budhist  religion  and  phi- 
losophy. It  was  the  basis  of  Zoroasterism.  It  was  pure  Plato- 
nism. It  was  Platonic  Judaism  in  the  Alexandrian  school.” 
Here  it  is  positively  declared,  by  a popular  Christian  writer, 
whose  work  is  a part  of  nearly  every  popular  library  in  Chris- 
tendom as  a standard  authority,  that  the  appearance  of  God 
amongst  men  in  the  human  form,  by  human  birth,  was  a doc- 
trine of  the  Jewish  religion  in  some  of  its  branches,  especially 
the  Essenian  branch  — further  proof  that  Christianity  originated 
nothing,  and  gave  utterance  to  no  new  doctrine  or  precepts, 
and  performed  no  new  miracles.  Where,  then,  is  the  claim 
for  its  originality  ? On  what  ground  is  it  predicated  ? Please 
answer  us,  good  Christian  brother. 

18.  It  is  a question  of  no  importance,  if  it  could  be  settled, 
whether  Christianity  is  a direct  outgrowth  from  one  of  the  new- 
fangled sects  of  Judaism,  or  whether  it  derived  a portion  of  its 
doctrines  from  this  source  and  the  balance  from  ascetic  Budh- 
ism.  Yet  we  regard  it  as  an  incontrovertible  proposition  that 
it  all  grew  out  of  Budhism  originally,  either  directly  or  indi- 
rectly. 

19.  Christ  may  have  received  his  doctrines  second-handed, 
all  or  a portion  from  the  Essenian  Jews ; for  that  sect  held  all 
the  leading  doctrines  of  Budhism  (as  we  have  shown  in  a pre- 
vious chapter),  which  now  goes  under  the  name  of  the  religion 
of  Jesus  Christ. 

20.  Or  we  may  indulge  the  not  unreasonable  hypothesis  that 
the  founders  of  Christianity,  who  republished  the  doctrines  of 
Budhism  and  adopted  them  as  their  own,  received  them  all 
direct  from  the  disciples  of  that  religious  order ; for  “ they  were 
everywhere,”  as  one  writer  (Mr.  Taylor)  declares,  speaking  of 
their  extensive  travels  to  propagate  their  doctrines  through  the 
world.  And  it  was  about  that  period,  as  Mr.  Goodrich  informs 


254 


TIIE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


us,  they  sent  out  nine  hundred  missionaries,  who  made  six 
millions  of  converts,  — a small  fraction  of  their  present  number 
(three  hundred  and  eighty  millions,  as  given  by  some  of  our 
geographies),  — one  third  more  than  the  entire  census  of 
Christendom,  and  six  times  the  number  of  believers  in  the 
Christian  religion,  if  we  omit  Greeks  and  Catholics.  “ It  is,”  as 
a writer  remarks,  “the  oldest  and  most  widely  spread  religion 
in  the  world  ” And,  whatever  hypothesis  may  be  adduced  to 
account  for  the  fact,  Christianity  is  now  all  Budhism. 

21.  It  is  impossible,  with  the  historic  darkness  which  at  pres- 
ent environs  and  beclouds  our  pathway,  to  determine  at  what 
period  or  in  what  manner  Christ  became  an  Essene,  — whether 
he  was  born  of  Essenian  parents,  or  became  a convert  to  the 
faith,  — because  the  whole  period  of  his  life,  with  the  exception 
of  about  three  years,  is  a total  blank  in  history.  There  is  but 
one  incident  related  of  his  movements  by  his  bible  biographers 
prior  to  his  twenty-seventh  year,  leaving  more  than  a quarter 
of  a century  of  his  probably  active  life  unreported  — a period 
that  may  have  witnessed  several  important  changes  in  his  re- 
ligion. We  have  not  even  his  ancestry  reported  in  his  scrip- 
tural biography,  in  either  parental  line,  unless  we  assume 
Joseph  to  have  been  his  father.  The  parental  lineage  of  his 
mother  is  entirely  omitted.  Had  we  his  line  of  ancestry,  or 
could  we  trace  him  back  to  his  national  or  family  origin,  we 
doubt  not  but  we  should  there  find  a full  clew  to  the  origin  of 
his  religion.  We  should  find  his  ancestors  were  Essenian 
Jews. 

22.  Nor  can  we  fix  the  date  when  Essenian  Budhism  among 
the  Jews  received  the  name  of  Christianity  for  a similar  reason. 
There  is  a link  — a chain  of  events  of  four  hundred  years  left 
out  of  the  bible  between  Judaism  and  Christianity  — thus  lack- 
ing four  hundred  years  of  connecting  the  two  religions  together, 
or  of  showing  how  the  latter  grew  out  of  the  former.  Malachi, 
the  last  book  of  the  Old  Testament,  antedates  the  first  events 
of  Christian  history  four  centuries,  or  twelve  generations,  thus 
leaving  a wide  and  dark  gap  between  them.  And  besides,  we 
cannot  find  the  name  of  Christ  or  Christianity  mentioned  in  any 
vf  the  cotemporary  histories  of  that  era  till  one  hundred  and 


CHRIST  AND  CHRISTINA. 


255 


four  years  after  the  time  fixed  for  Christ’s  birth  by  Christen- 
dom  ; Tacitus  being  the  first  writer  who  names  either,  and 
this  was  at  that  date. 

23.  These  facts  disclose  the  whole  secret  with  respect  to  the 
mystery  and  darkness  thrown  around  the  origin  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion  — the  how,  the  when,  and  the  where  of  its  origin. 
That  chapter  of  Christian  history  is  left  out  of  the  record. 
The  bible  account  itself  is  but  fragmentary,  as  it  leaves  nine 
tenths  of  Christ’s  history  a blank,  — twenty-seven  years  out  of 
the  thirty,  — and  omits  all  mention  of  his  ancestors  beyond  his 
grandmother,  and  leaves  even  the  time  of  his  birth  a blank. 
“ The  researches  of  the  learned,”  says  Mr.  Mosheim  (a  standard 
Christian  author),  “ though  long  and  ably  conducted,  have  been 
unable  to  fix  the  time  of  Christ’s  birth  with  certainty.”  (Eccl. 
Hist.  p.  23.)  Wonderful  admission,  truly,  as  it  is  an  evidence 
that  nothing  else  can  be  fixed  u with  certainty,”  with  respect  to 
the  history  of  “the  man  Christ  Jesus,”  only  that  his  doctrines 
and  precepts  were  all  borrowed  perhaps  during  the  twenty- 
seven  dark  and  mysterious  years  of  his  life,  if  not  an  Essene 
by  birth. 

24.  There  is  no  escaping  the  conclusion  that  Christianity  is 
a borrowed  system  — an  outgrowth  and  remodeling  of  Budh- 
ism,  with  a change  of  name  only.  A thousand  facts  of  history 
prove  and  proclaim  it,  and  the  verdict  of  posterity  will  be  unani- 
mous in  affirming  it. 

25.  From  the  almost  endless  chain  of  analogies,  exhibiting 
a striking  resemblance  even  in  their  minute  details  of  Chris- 
tianity and  Budhism,  we  are  compelled  to  conclude  that  one 
furnished  the  materials  for  the  other  : that  one  is  the  offspring 
- — the  legitimate  child  — of  the  other.  And  as  it  is  a settled 
historical  fact  that  Budhism  is  much  the  older  system,  there  is 
hence  no  difficulty  in  determining  which  is  the  parent  and 
which  is  the  child. 

26.  In  the  Hindoo  story  of  the  creation  of  the  human  race, 
we  find  Adimo  and  Heva  given  as  the  names  of  the  first  man 
and  woman  answering  to  our  Adam  and  Eve.  And  our  Shem, 
Ham,  and  Japheth  are  traceable  to  their  Sherma,  Hama,  and 
Jiapheta:  the  difference  in  the  mode  of  spelling  is  probably 


256 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


owing  to  the  difference  in  the  languages.  And  under  the  new 
era  we  have  Christ  Jesus  answering  to  their  Chrishna  Zeus,  as 
some  writers  give  the  name  of  the  eighth  Avatar.  And  for 
Maia,  a godmother,  we  have  Mary.  And  other  similar  analo- 
gies might  be  pointed  out  besides  the  long  string  of  strikingly 
similar  events  previously  presented  in  the  history  of  the  two 
Saviors  (Christ  and  Chrishna),  amounting  to  hundreds. 

27.  Such  an  almost  countless  list  of  similar  and  nearly  iden- 
tical incidents  bids  defiance,  and  absolutely  sets  at  naught  all 
attempts  to  account  for  it  as  a mere  fortuitous  accident.  There 
is  no  other  explanation  possible  but  that  Christianity  is  a re- 
vamp or  re-establishment  of  Budhism. 

28.  Here  let  it  be  noted  that  Christianity  was  not  the  only 
religion  which  was  rehabilitated  in  the  Alexandrian  schools. 
On  the  contrary,  all  the  popular  oriental  systems  then  in  active 
being  had  long  previously  passed  through  the  same  representa- 
tive theological  schools  and  creed-making  institutions  of  that 
royal  and  commercial  city.  All  were  remodeled  in  its  theo 
logical  workshops  — a fact  which  accounts  most  conclusively 
for  the  same  train  of  religious  ideas  and  historical  incidents 
being  found  in  the  later  sacred  books  of  each.  And  besides, 
Sir  William  Jones  says,  “The  disciples  of  these  various  sys- 
tems of  religion  had  intercourse  w*ith  each  other  long  before 
the  time  of  Christ,’ which  would  necessarily  bring  about  a uni- 
formity in  the  doctrines  and  general  character  of  each  system.’ 

29.  The  disciples  of  all  the  religious  systems  cited  their  initi- 
atory miracles  as  a proof  of  being  on  familiar  terms  with  God 
Almighty.  They  all  (as  is  claimed)  healed  the  sick ; all  re- 
stored the  deaf,  the  dumb,  and  the  blind ; all  cast  out  devils, 
and  all  raised  the  dead.  (See  chapter  on  Parallels.)  In  fact,  all 
their  miracles  and  legendary  marvels  run  in  parallel  lines,  be- 
cause all  were  recast  in  the  same  creed-mold  in  Alexandria. 
A coincidence  is  thus  beautifully  explained,  which  would  other- 
wise be  hard  to  account  for. 

80.  Mr.  Gibbon  says,  “ It  was  in  the  school  of  Alexandria 
that  the  Christian  theology  appears  to  have  assumed  a regular 
and  scientific  form”  (Decline,  &c.,  chap,  xv.)  ; that  is, the  regu- 
lar and  scientific  form  of  Budhism  or  Essenism. 


CHRIST  AND  CHRISTINA, 


^57 

31.  Pregnant  with  meaning  is  the  text,  “ It  was  in  the  city  of 
Antioch  the  disciples  were  first  called  Christians.”  (Acts  xi.  36.) 
Here  is  conclusive  proof  that  the  disciples  of  the  Christian  faith 
were  not  always  known  by  the  same  name,  and  were  not  at 
first  called  Christians.  Then  what  were  they  called  during  the 
earlier  years  of  their  history  ? Here  is  a great  and  important 
query,  and  one  involving  a momentous  problem.  Couple  the 
two  facts  together,  that  the  disciples  were  first  known  as  Chris- 
tians at  Antioch,  and  that  the  Essenian  order  of  believers  ex- 
pired and  went  out  of  history  about  that  period,  and  the  ques- 
tion is  at  once  and  forever  satisfactorily  settled . It  was  not  an 
infrequent  act  on  making  important  changes  in  a religion,  and 
adopting  some  new  items  of  faith  to  change  the  title  of  the 
system,  and  give  it  a new  name. 

After  Alexander  Campbell  had  made  some  modifications  in 
his  previous  religious  faith,  and  started  a new  church,  his  fol- 
lowers were  popularly  called  Campbellites.  Elias  Hicks  in- 
grafted some  reform  ideas  into  the  Quaker  faith,  and  instituted 
a new  society  of  that  order.  Hence,  and  henceforth,  his  disci- 
ples were  known  as  Hicksites.  In  like  manner  Jesus  Christ 
having  made  some  innovations  in  his  inherited  Jewish  faith 
(which  was  of  the  Essene  stamp)  by  ingrafting  more  of  the 
Budhist  doctrine  into  it,  his  followers  were  henceforth  called 
Christians.  How  complete  the  analogy ! Here  let  it  be  borne 
in  mind,  as  powerfully  confirmatory  of  this  conclusion,  that  the 
first  Christians  were  (as  history  affirms)  “ merely  reformatory 
Jews.”  The  twelve  chosen  were  all  Jews,  probably  of  the 
Essene  order.  According  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Prideaux  (Jewish 
History),  the  Jews  of  this  order  were  first  called  Israelites,  in 
common  with  the  other  tribes  ; then  Chassidim ; and  thirdly 
Essenes.  And  finally,  after  the  Essenian  Jesus  Christ,  with  some 
new  radical  ideas,  proclaimed,  “Ye  have  heard  it  hath  been  said 
by  them  of  old  time”  thus  and  so,  “but  I say  unto  you”  differ- 
ently. The  title  was  again  changed,  and  they  adopted  or  received 
the  name  of  Christians  — the  Essenes  going  out  of  history 
at  the  very  date  Christians  first  appear  in  history.  Put  this 
and  that  together,  and  the  chain  is  welded.  Thus  we  can  as 
easily  trace  the  origin  of  Christianity  as  we  can  trace  the  origin 
17 


258 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


of  a root  running  beneath  the  soil  in  the  direction  of  a certain 
tree.  History,  then,  proclaims  that  to  the  honest,  pious,  deep- 
ly-devout,  self-denying,  yet  ignorant,  slothful,  and  filthy  Budh- 
istic  Essenes  must  be  awarded  the  honor  or  dishonor  of  giving 
birth  to  that  system  of  religion  now  known  as  Christianity. 

Chrishna  as  a God — Additional  Facts. 

The  following  additional  facts  relative  to  the  history,  char- 
acter, life,  and  teachings  of  Zeus  Chrishna,  or  Jeseus  Christna 
(as  styled  by  one  writer)  are  drawn  mostly  from  the  Vedas, 
Baghavat,  Gita  (Bible  in  India). 

1.  Ilis  Virgin  Mother , her  Character . — The  holy  book  de- 
clares, that  “ through  her  the  designs  of  God  were  accomplished. 
She  was  pure  and  chaste;  no  animal  food  ever  touched  her 
lips ; honey  and  milk  were  her  sustenance;  her  time  was  spent 
in  solitude,  lost  in  the  contemplation  of  God,  who  showered 
upon  her  innumerable  blessings  ; she  looked  upon  death  as  the 
birth  to  a new  and  better  life;  when  she  traveled,  a column  of 
fire  in  the  heavens  went  before  her  to  guide  her.  One  evening, 
as  she  was  praying,  she  heard  celestial  music,  and  fell  into  a 
profound  ecstasy,  and  being  overshadowed  by  the  spirit  of 
God,  she  conceived  the  God  Chrishna.”  (Baghavat  Gita.) 

2.  Chrishna , his  Life  and  Mission . — This  sin-atoning  God 
was  about  sixteen  when  he  commenced  active  life.  Like  Christ, 
he  chose  twelve  disciples  to  aid  him  in  propagating  his  doc- 
trines. “ He  spent  his  time  working  miracles,  resuscitating  the 
dead,  healing  lepers,  restoring  the  deaf  and  the  blind,  defend- 
ing the  weak  against  the  strong,  and  the  oppressed  against  the 
oppressor,  and  in  proclaiming  his  divine  mission  to  redeem 
man  from  original  sin,  and  banish  evil,  and  restore  the  reign 
of  good.”  (Baghavat,  Gita.)  It  is  declared  that  he  came  to 
leach  peace,  charity,  love  to  man,  self-respect,  the  practice  of 
good  for  its  own  sake,  and  faith  in  the  inexhaustible  goodness 
of  the  Creator;  also  to  preach  the  immortality  of  the  soral , 
and  the  doctrine  of  future  rewards  and  punishments,  and  to 
vanquish  the  prince  of  darkness,  Rakshas.  It  is  further  declared 
that  “ Brahma  sent  his  son  (Chrishna)  upon  the  earth  to  die 


CHRIST  AND  C HRISIINA . 


259 


for  the  salvation  of  man.”  “His  lofty  precepts  and  the  purity 
of  his  life  spread  his  fame  throughout  all  India,  and  finally  won 
for  him  more  than  three  millions  of  followers.”  “He  inculcated 
the  sublimest  doctrines,  and  the  purest  morals,  and  the  grand 
principles  of  charity  and  self-denial.”  “He  forbade  revenge, 
and  commanded  to  return  good  for  evil,  and  consoled  the 
feeble  and  the  unhappy.”  “ He  lived  poor,  and  loved  the  poor.” 
“ He  lived  chaste,  and  enjoined  chastity.”  “Problems  the  most 
lofty,  and  morals  the  most  pure  and  sublime,  and  the  future 
destiny  of  man,  were  themes  which  engaged  his  most  profound 
attention.”  “Chrishna,  we  will  venture  to  say  (says  the  Bible 
in  India),  was  the  greatest  of  philosophers,  not  only  of  India, 
but  of  the  entire  world.”  “ He  was  the  grandest  moral  figure 
of  ancient  times.”  (Bible  in  India.)  “Chrishna  was  a moralist 
and  a philosopher.”  “We  should  admire  his  moral  lessons,  so 
sublime  and  so  pure.”  “He  was  recognized  as  the  ‘Divine 
Word.’”  “He  received  the  title  of  Jeseus,  which  means  pure 
Essense .”  Chrishna  signifies  the  “ Promised  of  God,”  the 
“Messiah.”  “ When  he  preached,  he  often  spoke  from  a mount. 
He  also  spoke  in  parables.  c Parable  plays  a large  part  in  the 
familiar  instructions  of  this  Hindoo  Redeemer.’”  He  relates  a 
very  interesting  parable  of  a fisherman  who  was  much  perse- 
cuted by  his  neighbors,  but  who  in  the  time  of  a severe  famine, 
when  the  people  were  suffering  and  dying  for  the  want  of  food, 
being  so  noble  as  to  return  good  for  evil,  he  carried  food  to 
these  same  persecuting  enemies,  and  thus  saved  them  from 
starvation.  “Therefore,”  said  he,  “ do  good  to  all,  both  the  evil 
and  the  good,  even  your  enemies.”  His  addresses  to  the  peo- 
ple were  simple,  but  to  his  disciples  they  were  elevated  and 
philosophical.  Such  was  the  wisdom  of  his  sermons  and  his 
parables,  that  the  people  crowded  around  him,  eager  to  behold 
and  hear  him,  “ saying,  This  is  indeed  the  Redeemer  promised 
to  our  fathers.”  Great  multitudes  followed  him,  exclaiming, 
“ This  is  he  who  resuscitates  the  dead,  and  heals  the  lame,  and 
the  deaf,  and  the  blind.”  On  one  occasion,  as  he  entered 
Madura  (as  Christ  once  entered  Jerusalem),  “the  people  came 
out  in  flocks  to  meet  him,  and  strewed  branches  in  his  way.” 
On  another  occasion  two  women  approached  him,  anointed  him 


260 


TIIE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


with  oil,  and  worshiped  him.  When  the  people  murmured  at 
this  waste,  lie  replied,  “Better  is  a little  given  with  an  humble 
heart  than  much  given  with  ostentation.”  Such  was  his  sense 
of  decorum,  that  he  admonished  some  girls  he  once  observed 
playing  in  a state  of‘ nudity  on  the  bank  of  a river  after  bathing. 
They  repented,  asked  his  forgiveness,  and  reformed.  “The 
followers  of  Chrishna  practiced  all  the  virtues,  and  observed  a 
complete  abnegation  of  self  (self-denial),  and  lived  poor,  hoping 
for  a reward  in  the  future  life.  They  occupied  all  their  time  in 
the  service  of  their  Divine  Master.  Pure  and  majestic  was 
their  worship.”  Chrishna  had  a favorite  disciple,  Adjaurna , 
who  sustained  to  him  the  relation  of  John  to  Christ,  while 
Angada  acted  the  part  of  Judas  by  following  him  to  the  Ganges 
and  betraying  him. 

3.  His  last  Hours.  — “When  Chrishna  knew  his  hour  had 
come,  forbidding  his  disciples  to  follow  him,  he  repaired  to  the 
bank  of  the  River  Ganges ; and  having  performed  three  ablu- 
tions, he  knelt  down,  and  looking  up  to  heaven,  he  prayed  to 
Brahma.”  While  nailed  to  the  cross,  the  tree  on  w^hich  he  was 
suspended  became  suddenly  covered  with  great  red  flowers, 
which  diffused  their  fragrance  all  around.  And  it  is  said  he 
often  appeared  to  his  disciples  after  his  death  “ in  all  his  divine 
majesty.” 

4.  The  second  Advent  of  Chrishna.  — “ There  is  not  a Hindoo 
or  a Brahmin  who  does  not  look  upon  the  second  coming  of 
Chrishna  as  an  established  article  of  faith.”  Their  holy  bibles 
(the  Yedas  and  Gita)  prophesy  of  him  thus:  “He  shall  come 
crowned  with  lights;  he  shall  come,  and  the  heavens  and  the 
earth  shall  be  joyous;  the  stars  shall  pale  before  his  splendor; 
the  earth  will  be  too  small  to  contain  him,  for  he  is  infinite,  he 
is  Almighty,  he  is  Wisdom,  he  is  Beauty,  he  is  all  and  in  all; 
and  all  men,  all  animated  beings,  beasts,  birds,  trees,  and  plants, 
will  chant  his  praises;  he  will  regenerate  all  bodies,  and  purify 
all  souls.”  “ He  will  be  as  sweet  as  honey  and  ambrosia,  and 
as  pure  as  the  lamb  without  spot,  or  as  the  lips  of  a virgin. 
All  hearts  will  be  transported  with  joy.  From  the  rising  to 
the  setting  of  the  sun  it  will  be  a day  of  joy  and  exultation, 
when  this  God  shall  manifest  his  power  and  his  glory,  and 


CHRIST  AND  CHRISHNA. 


2 01 


reconcile  the  world  unto  himself.”  Such  are  a few  of  the 
prophetic  utterances  of  his  devout  and  prayerful  disciples. 

“ We  find,”  says  a writer,  “in  all  the  theogonies  of  different 
countries  the  hope  of  the  advent  of  a God  (either  his  first  or 
second  coming)  — a hope  which  sprang  from  a sense  of  their 
own  imperfections  and  sufferings,  which  naturally  induced 
them  to  look  for  a divine  Redeemer.” 

5.  Precepts  of  Chrishna.  — Numerous  are  the  prescriptive 
admonitions  found  in  the  holy  books  which  set  forth  the  religion 
of  “this  heathen  demigod”  (so  called  by  Christian  professors). 
They  appertain  to  all  the  duties  of  life,  but  are  too  numerous 
to  be  quoted  here.  Those  appertaining  to  woman  enjoin  the 
most  sacred  regard  for  her  rights,  such  as  “ woman  should  be  pro- 
tected with  tenderness,  and  shielded  with  fostering  solicitude.” 
“There  is  no  crime  more  odious  than  to  persecute  woman,  or 
take  advantage  of  her  weakness.”  “ Degrade  woman,  and  you 
degrade  man.”  For  other  similar  precepts,  see  Chapter  XXXII. 
The  injunctions  to  read  their  holy  bible  (the  Yedas,  &c.)  are 
quite  numerous,  such  as,  “ Let  him  study  the  holy  Scriptures 
unceasmgly .”  “Pray  night  and  morning,  and  read  the  holy 
Scriptures  in  the  attitude  of  devotion.”  And  many  of  them 
read  it  through  upon  their  knees.  (See  Chap.  XLIY.)  We  have 
not  space  for  a further  exposition  of  this  subject  here;  but  it 
will  be  found  more  fully  set  forth  in  the  pamphlet,  “ Christ  and 
Chrishna  Compared,”  which  will,  perhaps,  become  an  Appen- 
dix to  this  work.  It  may  be  objected  that  there  are  precepts 
and  stories  to  be  found  in  the  religion  of  this  Hindoo  God 
(Chrishna),  which  reflect  but  little  credit  or  honor  upon 
that  religion.  This  is  true.  And  similar  reflections  would 
materially  damage  the  religion  of  Christianity  also.  The  story 
of  Christ  beating  and  maltreating  the  money-changers  in  the 
temple,  his  cursing  an  innocent,  unoffending,  and  unconscious 
fig  tree,  and  his  indulgence  in  profane  swearing  at  his  enemies, 
— “ O ye  fools  and  blind,  ye  generation  of  vipers,  how  can  you 
escape  the  damnation  of  hell ! ” — does  not  reflect  any  credit  upon 
his  religion,  viewed  as  a system.  Defects,  then,  may  be  found 
in  both  systems  In  viewing  the  analogies  of  the  two  religions, 
it  should  be  noted  that  the  Hindoos  claim,  with  a forcible  show 


202 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


of  facts  and  logic,  that  the  religion  of  Christianity  grew  out  of 
theirs.  It  has  not  been  long  since  a learned  Hindoo  main- 
tained this  position  in  a public  debate  with  a missionary.  If 
all  these  facts  effect  nothing  in  the  way  of  inducing  the  Chris- 
tian clergy  to  confess  the  falsity  of  their  position  in  claiming 
their  religion  to  be  a direct  emanation  from  God,  it  will  be  a 
sad  commentary  upon  either  their  intelligence  or  their  honesty. 

These  historical  facts,  with  those  set  forth  in  the  preceding 
chapters,  prove  that  the  religion  called  Christianity,  instead  of 
being,  as  Christians  claim,  “the  product  of  the  Divine  Mind,” 
is  the  product  of  “heathen”  minds;  i.  e.,  a spontaneous  out- 
growth of  the  moral  and  religious  elements  of  the  human  mind. 
And  therefore,  for  God  to  have  revealed  it  over  again  to  the 
founders  of  Christianity  would  have  been  superfluous,  and  a 
proof  of  his  ignorance  of  history. 

Note.  — The  author  deems  it  proper  to  state  here,  with  respect  to  the 
comparison  between  Christ  and  Chrishna,  that  some  of  the  doctrines 
which  he  has  selected  as  constituting  a part  of  the  religion  of  the  Hindoo 
Savior,  are  not  found  in  the  reported  teachings  of  that  deified  moralist. 
But  as  they  appear  to  breathe  forth  the  same  spirit,  it  is  presumed  he 
would  have  indorsed  them,  had  they  come  under  his  notice.  As  Christians 
assume  the  liberty  to  arrange  the  doctrines  of  Paul  and  Peter  under  the 
head  of  Christianity  because  claimed  to  be  in  consonance  with  the  religion 
of  Christ,  though  not  all  taught  by  him,  the  author,  in  like  manner,  has 
assumed,  that  some  doctrines  taught  by  other  systems  and  religious  teach- 
ers of  India  accord  with  those  taught  by  Chrishna,  and  hence  has  ar- 
ranged them  with  his.  The  author’s  purpose  is  not  to  set  forth  the  doc- 
trines of  any  sect,  any  system,  or  any  religious  teacher,  but  to  show  that 
all  the  doctrines  of  Christianity  are  traceable  to  ancient  India.  But 
whether  taught  by  this  sect  or  that  sect,  it  is  foreign  to  our  purpose  to 
inquire ; and  hence,  for  convenience,  he  has  arranged  them  all  into  one 
system,  and  designated  them  Chrishnaanity  (borrowing  a new  term). 
There  can  be  no  more  impropriety,  he  presumes,  in  arranging  the  doc- 
trines of  the  various  conflicting  sects  of  India  into  one  system  (including 
even  Brahminism  and  Budhism),  than  to  arrange,  as  Christians  do,  the 
doctrines  taught  by  the  antagonistic  systems  of  Catholicism  and  Protes- 
tantism, and  their  six  hundred  conflicting  sects,  under  the  head  of  Chris- 
tianity. Hence  Christians,  of  course,  will  not  fault  the  arrangement.  The 
classification  above  alluded  to  comprises,  in  part,  the  religion  of  many 
of  the  Hindoo  sects,  but  does  not  set  forth  all  their  doctrines,  only  those 
analogous  to  Christianity.  Chrishna  was  aVishnuite,  and  not  a Brahmin, 
as  some  writers  assume.  He  and  Christ  were  both  reformers,  and  de- 
parted from  the  ancient  faith.  Vishnuism  appears  to  have  finally  centered 
in  Budhism. 


APOLLONIUS . OSIRIS , .4.YP  MAGUS. 


263 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

APOLLONIUS,  OSIRIS,  MAGUS,  &C.  -GODS. 

Miraculous  Achievements  of  other  Gods  and  Demi- 
gods of  Antiquity. 

The  age  in  which  Christ  flourished,  as  before  remarked, 
was  pre-eminently  an  age  of  miracle.  The  practice  of  thau- 
maturgy,  and  the  legends  invested  with  the  display  of  the  mir- 
acle-working power,  both  preceding  and  subsequent  to  that 
era,  rose  to  a great  hight.  “ All  nations  of  that  time,”  says  a 
writer,  “ were  mightily  bent  on  working  miracles.”  And  the 
disciples  who  acted  the  part  of  biographers  for  the  various 
crucified  Gods  and  sin-atoning  Saviors,  throughout  the  East, 
seemed  to  vie  with  each  other  in  setting  off*  the  lives  and  his- 
tories of  their  favorite  objects  of  worship  respectively,  with 
marvelous  exploits  and  the  pageantry  of  the  most  astounding 
prodigies.  And  the  miracles  in  each  case  were  pretty  much 
of  the  same  character,  thus  indicating  a common  source  for 
their  origin,  — all  probably  having  been  cast  in  the  same 
mold,  in  the  theological  schools  of  the  once  famous,  world- 
renowned  city  of  Alexandria  the  capital  of  Egypt.  Having,  in 
the  preceding  chapters,  presented  the  miraculous  achievements 
of  the  Hindoo  Gods  Chrishna  and  Sakia,  we  will  here  bring  to 
notice  those  of  other  Gods. 

The  Miracles  recorded  of  Alcides,  Osiris,  and  other 
Gods  of  Egypt. 

1.  We  have  the  miraculous  birth  by  a virgin  in  the  case  of 
Alcides. 


264 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


2.  Osiris,  while  a sucking  infant  in  his  cradle,  killed  two 
serpents  which  came  to  destroy  him. 

3.  Alcides  performed  many  miraculous  cures. 

4.  According  to  Ovid  he  cured  by  a miracle  the  daughter  of 
Archiades. 

5.  Also  the  wife  of  Theogenes,  after  the  doctors  had  given 
her  up. 

6.  And  both  these  Gods  converted  water  into  wine. 

7.  Both  of  them  frequently  cast  out  devils. 

8.  Julius  declares  Alcides  raised  Tyndarus  and  Hippolitus 
from  the  dead. 

9.  When  Zulis  was  crucified,  the  sun  became  dark  and  the 
moon  refused  to  shine. 

10.  Both  he  and  Osiris  were  resurrected  by  a miracle. 

11.  Both  ascend  to  heaven  in  sight  of  many  witnesses. 

12.  And  finally  we  are  told  that  from  Alexandria  the  whole 
empire  became  filled  with  the  fame  of  these  miracle-workers, 
who  restored  the  blind  to  sight,  cured  the  paralytic,  caused  the 
dumb  to  speak,  the  lame  to  walk,  &c.  All  these  miracles  were 
as  credibly  related  of  these  Gods  as  similar  miracles  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

Miracles  performed  by  Pythagoras  and  other  Gods 
of  Greece. 

1.  Pythagoras  was  a spirit  in  heaven  before  he  was  born  on 
earth. 

2.  His  birth  was  miraculously  foretold. 

3.  His  mother  conceived  him  by  a specter  (the  Holy  Ghost). 

4.  His  mother  (Pytheas)  was  a holy  virgin  of  great  moral 
purity. 

5.  Plato’s  mother,  Paretonia  (says  Olympiodorus),  conceived 
him  by  the  God  Apollo. 

6.  Pythagoras  in  his  youth  astonishes  the  doctors  by  his 
wisdom. 

7.  Was  worshiped  as  the  “ Son  of  God,”  “ Paraclete,”  “ Child 
of  Divinity,”  &c. 


APOLLONIUS , OSIRIS , ^4AZ>  MAGUS . 265 

8.  Could  see  events  many  ages  in  the  future  (says  Rich* 
ardson,  his  biographer). 

9.  Could  bring  down  the  eagle  from  its  lofty  hight  by 
command. 

10.  Could  approach  and  subdue  the  wild,  ferocious  Daunian 
bear. 

11.  Could,  like  Christ,  appear  at  two. places  at  once. 

12.  Could  walk  on  the  water  and  travel  on  the  air. 

13.  Could  discern  and  read  the  thoughts  of  his  disciples. 

14.  Could  handle  poisonous  reptiles  with  impunity. 

15.  Cured  all  manner  of  diseases. 

16.  Restored  sight  to  the  blind. 

17.  He  “cast  out  devils.” 

18.  Jamblicus  says  he  could  allay  storms  on  the  sea. 

19.  Raised  several  persons  from  the  dead. 

20.  And,  finally,  “ a thousand  other  wonderful  things  are 
told  of  him,”  says  Jamblicus. 

With  respect  to  his  character,  it  is  said  that  “ for  humility, 
and  practical  goodness,  and  the  wisdom  of  his  moral  precepts, 
he  stood  without  a rival.”  He  discarded  bloody  sacrifices, 
discouraged  wars,  forbade  the  use  of  wine  and  other  intoxicat- 
ing drinks,  enjoined  the  forgiveness  of  enemies  and  their  kind 
treatment,  and  also  respect  to  parents.  He  was  a special  friend 
to  the  poor,  and  taught  that  they  were  the  favorites  of  God. 
“ Blessed  are  ye  poor.”  He  practiced  and  recommended  the 
silent  worship  of  God.  He  retired  from  the  world,  and  often 
fasted,  and  was  a great  enemy  to  riches  (like  Jesus  Christ). 
He  considered  poverty  a virtue,  and  despised  the  pomp  of  the 
world.  He  recommended  (like  Christ)  the  abandonment  of 
parents,  relations,  and  friends,  houses  and  lands,  &c.,  for  reli- 
gion’s sake.  His  disciples,  like  those  of  Christ,  had  a common 
treasury  and  a general  community  of  goods,  to  which  all  had 
free  access,  so  that  there  was  no  poverty  or  suffering  amongst 
them  while  the  supply  lasted.  All  shared  alike.  In  fact,  wfith 
respect  to  the  spirit  of  his  precepts,  his  moral  lessons,  and  near- 
ly his  wrhole  practical  life,  he  bore  a striking  resemblance  to 
Jesus  Christ,  and  presented  the  same  kind  of  evidence,  and 
equally  convincing  evidence,  of  being  a God.  And  as  he  was 


266 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


born  into  the  world  five  hundred  and  fifty-four  years  before 
Christ,  the  latter  probably  obtained  the  materials  of  his  moral 
system  from  that  Grecian  teacher,  or  in  the  same  school  of  the 
Essenian  Budhists,  in  which  both  Pythagoras  and  Christ  ap« 
pear  to  have  taken  lessons. 

Miracles  of  the  Roman  Gods  Quirinus  and  Pro- 
metheus. 

1.  Prometheus  was  honored  with  a miraculous  birth. 

2.  Quirinus  was  miraculously  preserved  in  infancy,  when 
threatened  with  destruction  by  the  tyrant  ruler  Amulius. 

3.  He  performed  the  miracles,  according  to  Seneca  and  He- 
siod, of  curing  the  sick,  restoring  the  blind,  raising  the  dead, 
and  casting  out  devils. 

4.  Both  these  Gods  were  crucified  amid  signs,  and  wonders, 
and  miracles. 

5.  All  nature  was  convulsed,  and  the  saints  arose  when  they 
were  crucified. 

6.  The  sun  was  also  darkened,  and  refused  to  shine. 

7.  Both  descended  to  hell,  and  rose  from  it  by  divine  power. 

8.  And  Prometheus  was  seen  to  ascend  to  heaven. 

We  cite  these  lists  of  miraculous  events  as  if  real  facts,  not 
because  we  believe  they  were  such,  but  as  possessing  the  same 
degree  of  credibility  as  those  related  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Miracles  and  Religion  of  Apollonius  of  Tyana. 

1.  Everything  was  subject  to  his  miraculous  power. 

2.  He  performed  many  miraculous  cures. 

3.  He  restored  sight  to  the  blind. 

4.  He  cast  out  devils,  which  sometimes  “ cut  up  ” like  those 
of  Christ. 

5.  He  enabled  the  lame  to  walk. 

6.  He  re-animated  the  dead. 

7.  He  could  read  the  thoughts  of  bystanders. 

8.  Sometimes  disappeared  in  a miraculous  manner. 

9.  Caused  a tree  to  bloom,  while  Christ  made  another  tree  to 
wither  away. 


APOLLONIUS , OSIRIS , MAGUS. 


267 


10.  The  laws  of  nature  obeyed  him. 

11.  Could  speak  in  many  languages  he  had  never  learned. 

12.  Was  at  one  time  transfigured,  like  Christ.  • 

13.  Ilis  birth  was  miraculously  foretold  by  an  angel. 

14.  Was  bom  of  a spotless  virgin. 

15.  There  were  demonstrations  of  joy  and  singing  at  his 
birth. 

16.  Exhibited  proofs  in  infancy  of  being  a God. 

17.  Manifested  extraordinary  wisdom  in  childhood. 

18.  He  was  called  “ the  Son  of  God.” 

19.  Also  “ the  image  of  the  Eternal  Father  manifested  in 
the  flesh.” 

20.  He  was  also  styled  “ a prophet.” 

21.  Like  Christ,  he  retired  into  mystic  silence. 

22.  His  religion  was  one  of  exalted  spirituality. 

23.  He  taught  the  doctrine  of  “ the  Inner  Life.” 

24.  He  possessed  exalted  views  of  purity  and  holiness. 

25.  Like  Christ,  he  was  a religious  ascetic. 

26.  His  religion,  as  in  the  case  of  Christ,  forbade  him  to  marry. 

27.  He  ate  no  animal  food,  and  would  wear  no  woolen 
garments. 

28.  Gave  his  substance  to  the  poor. 

29.  Eschewed  love  for  wine  and  women. 

30.  Refrained  from  artificial  ornaments  and  sumptuous  living. 

31.  He  was  a high-toned  moral  reformer. 

32.  He  condemned  external  sacrifices. 

33.  Also  condemned  gladiatorial  shows. 

34.  He  religiously  opposed  dancing  and  sexual  pleasures. 

35.  He  recommended  the  pursuit  of  wisdom. 

36.  Was  of  a serene  temper,  and  never  got  angry. 

37.  Was  a true  prophet,  foresaw  and  foretold  many  future 
events. 

38.  Foresaw  a plague,  and  stopped  it  after  it  had  commenced. 

39.  Crowds  were  attracted  by  his  great  miracles  and  his 
wisdom. 

40.  He  disputed  with  and  vanquished  the  wise  men  of 
Greece  and  Asia,  as  Christ  did  the  learned  doctors  in  the 
temple. 


268 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


41.  When  imprisoned  by  Domitian  and  loaded  with  chains, 
he  disinthralled  himself  by  divine  power. 

42.  He  was  followed  by  crowds  when  entering  Alexandria, 
like  Christ  when  entering  Jerusalem. 

43.  Was  crucified  amidst  a display  of  divine  power. 

44.  He  rose  from  the  dead. 

45.  Appeared  to  his  disciples  after  his  resurrection. 

46.  Like  Christ,  he  convinced  a Tommy  Didymus  by  getting 
him  to  feel  the  print  of  the  nails  in  his  hands  and  feet. 

47.  Was  seen  by  many  witnesses  after  his  resurrection,  and 
was  hailed  by  them  as  the  “ God  Incarnate,”  “the  Lord  from 
Heaven.” 

48.  He  finally  ascended  back  to  heaven,  and  now  u sits  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  Father,”  pleading  for  a sinful  world. 

49.  When  he  entered  the  temple  of  Diana,  “ a voice  from 
above  was  heard  saying,  ‘Come  to  heaven.’” 

50.  Accordingly  he  was  seen  no  more  on  earth  only  as  a 
spirit. 

The  reader  will  observe  that  the  foregoing  list  of  analogies, 
drawn  from  the  history  of  Apollonius,  as  furnished  us  by  his 
disciple  Damos  and  his  biographer  Philostratus,  are  found  also, 
in  almost  every  particular,  in  the  history  of  Jesus  Christ.  And 
the  list  might  have  been  extended.  It  is  declared,  “A  beauty 
shone  in  his  countenance,  and  the  words  he  uttered  were  di- 
vine,” which  reminds  us  of  Christ’s  transfiguration.  And  his 
“ staying  a plague  at  Ephesus  ” revives  the  case  of  Christ  stilling 
the  tempest  on  the  waters.  Now,  the  question  very  naturally 
arises  here,  How  came  the  histories  of  Apollonius  and  Christ 
to  be  so  strikingly  alike  ? Was  one  plagiarized  from  the  other? 
As  for  the  miraculous  history  of  Apollonius  being  reconstruct- 
ed from  that  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  some  Christians  have  assumed, 
there  is  not  the  slightest  foundation  for  such  a conclusion,  as 
the  following  facts  will  show,  viz. : — 

1.  The  Cappadocian  Savior  (Apollonius)  was  born  several 
years  anterior  to  the  advent  of  the  Christian  Savior,  and  ap- 
peared at  an  earlier  date  upon  the  stage  of  active  life,  and  thus 
got  the  start  of  Christ  in  the  promulgations  of  his  doctrines 
and  the  exhibition  of  his  miracles.  Christ’s  active  life,  Chris- 


APOLLONIUS , OSIRIS , ^4AZ>  MAGUS. 


209 


tians  concede  and  the  bible  proves,  did  not  commence  till  about 
liis  twenty-eighth  or  thirtieth  year,  which  was  long  after  Ap- 
ollonius had  inaugurated  his  religion,  and  long  after  he'  had 
commenced  the  promulgation  of  his  doctrines,  and  attested 
them  by  wonderful  miracles,  according  to  his  biographer  Phi- 
lostratus. 

2.  The  New  American  Cyclopedia  tells  us,  “ Apollonius  la- 
bored for  the  purity  of  Paganism,  and  to  sustain  its  tottering 
edifice  against  the  assaults  of  the  Christians.”  So  that,  being 
placed  in  a hostile  attitude  toward  the  representatives  of  the 
Christian  faith,  it  is  not  likely  he  would  condescend  to  borrow 
their  doctrines  and  the  miraculous  history  of  their  incarnate 
God,  to  invest  his  own  life  with.  He  was  probably  one  of  the 
“ anti-Christs  ” spoken  of  in  the  New  Testament;  but  this  cir- 
cumstance reflects  nothing  dishonorable  upon  his  character; 
for  some  of  those  distinguished  personages  denounced  as  ‘ anti- 
Christ,”  by  Christ’s  gospel  biographers,  were,  according  to 
impartial  history,  noble,  honest,  and  righteous  men.  Their 
only  offense  consisted  in  robbing  Christ  of  his  divine  laurels, 
by  claiming  similar  titles,  and  claiming  to  perform  the  same 
kind  of  miracles : and  there  is  as  much  proof  that  they  did 
achieve  these  prodigies  as  that  Christ  did. 

3.  The  early  Christian  writers  conceded  that  Apollonius  and 
the  other  oriental  Gods  did  perform  the  miracles  which  are 
ascribed  to  them  by  their  respective  disciples,  but  accounted 
for  it  by  the  childish  expedient  of  obsession.  Christ  was  as- 
sumed to  perform  miracles  by  divine  power,  they  by  the  power 
of  the  devil — a childish  and  senseless  distinction  truly,  and 
one  which  can  have  no  logical  force  in  this  enlightened  age. 

Miracles  and  Claims  for  Simon  Magus,  B.  C. 

1.  It  is  declared,  uhe  was  in  the  beginning  with  God.” 

2.  That  “ he  existed  with  God  from  all  eternity.” 

3.  That  “ he  took  upon  himself  the  form  of  a man.” 

4.  That  “he  was  the  Son  of  God,”  “the  Word,”  &c. 

5.  That  “ he  was  the  second  person  in  the  godhead.” 

6.  That  “ he  came  down  to  destroy  the  devil  and  his  works.” 


270 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


7.  That  “ he  was  the  image  of  the  Eternal  Father  ” 

8.  That  w he  was  the  first-born  Son  of  God.” 

9.  That  he  could  control  the  elements. 

10.  That  he  could  walk  on  the  air  as  Christ  did  on  the 
water. 

11.  Could  move  anything  by  the  command,  “ Be  thou  re» 
moved.” 

12.  That  he  could  raise  the  dead. 

18.  That  he  could  transform  himself  into  the  image  of  any 
man. 

14.  That  he  was  “ the  Paraclete,  or  Comforter.” 

15.  That  he*came  to  “ redeem  the  world  from  sin.” 

16.  Finally,  he  was  the  world’s  “Savior,”  “Redeemer,”  “the 
Only  Begotten  of  the  Father,”  and  “through  bis  name  men 
are  to  be  saved.” 

The  reader  will  call  to  mind  that  this  Simon  Magus  is  men- 
tioned and  condemned  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  for  offering 
to  pay  Peter  for  a bestowment  of  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  yet  every  philosopher  in  this  age  must  concede  that  Ma- 
gus’ assumption  in  the  case  is  more  sensible  and  philosophical 
than  that  of  Peter’s.  For  the  latter  calls  it  “ a gift  from  God,” 
whereas  every  person  now  acquainted  with  the  nature,  princi- 
ples, and  science  of  animal  magnetism,  knows  that  such  mani- 
festation as  that  which  Peter  ascribes  to  God  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  is  a simple  natural  phenomenon  ; and  that,  consequently, 
it  can  be  no  more  a violation  of  the  rules  of  propriety  to  pay 
for  the  labor  of  making  such  developments  than  it  is  to  pay  a 
teacher  for  developing  the  mind  of  a child.  It  was  certainly  a 
greater  act  of  courtesy  to  offer  to  pay  for  it  than  to  demand  it 
as  a gratuitous  favor.  Hence  we  infer  he  excelled  Peter  in 
his  demeanor  as  a gentleman,  especially  as  he  bore  Peter’s 
severe  reprimand  with  patience,  and  apparently  with  a better 
spirit  than  that  which  dictated  it.  And  we  may  remark  here, 
also,  that  notwithstanding  this  Samaritan  Jew  is  so  unsparingly 
denounced  by  the  godly  Peter,  and  by  the  early  Christian 
fathers  also,  yet  we  have  the  historical  proof  that  he  was  an 
honest,  pious,  and  ardently  devout  man.  His  whole  life  was 
absorbed  in  the  cause  of  religion,  and  his  whole  soul  devoted 


APOLLONIUS , OSIRIS , ^4JVZ>  MAGUS. 


271 


to  his  religious  duties  and  the  worship  of  his  God.  Hence  we 
think  Peter’s  rebuke  was  uncalled  for. 

Let  the  reader  note  the  fact  here  that  there  are  three  circum- 
stances amply  sufficient  to  account  for  bibles  and  religious 
books  being  profusely  supplied  with  the  reports  of  groundless 
miracles. 

1.  As  everybody  then  believed  in  miracles  (at  least  every- 
body who  dared  speak)  there  was  nobody  to  investigate  the 
reports  of  such  occurrences,  to  learn  whether  they  were  true  or 
false. 

2.  The  few  who  attempted  to  disprove  the  truth  of  those 
miraculous  occurrences  now  found  reported  in  sacred  history, 
had  their  books  burned,  as  in  the  case  of  Porphyry  and  Celsus, 
in  the  early  history  of  Christianity,  who  called  in  question  the 
truth  of  bible  miracles. 

3.  These  marvelous  facts  were  not  usually  recorded  till  long 
after  the  period  in  which  they  are  said  to  have  occurred,  when 
the  witnesses  had  left  the  stage  of  time,  and  every  event  excit- 
ing any  attention  had  grown  to  a monstrous  prodigy.  These 
circumstances,  in  an  age  of  boundless  credulity  and  scientific 
ignorance,  which  magnified  every  phenomenon,  and  looked 
upon  every  natural  event  as  a direct  display  of  divine  power, 
accounts  most  fully  and  satisfactorily  for  the  burdensome  repe- 
tition of  groundless  miraculous  stories  found  upon  nearly  every 
page  of  the  sacred  history  of  every  religious  nation,  without  driv- 
ing us  to  the  necessity  of  challenging  the  veracity  of  the  writers 
who  recorded  them.  They  may  all  have  been  honest  men. 

Confucius  of  China,  born  551  B.  C. 

This  moral  teacher,  religious  chieftain,  and  philosopher, 
though  not  subjected  to  the  ignominious  death  of  the  cross, 
deserves  a passing  notice  for  the  excellency  of  his  morals  and 
the  acquisition  of  a world-wide  fame.  In  the  following  par- 
ticulars his  history  bears  a strong  analogy  to  that  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

1.  He  commenced  as  a religious  teacher  when  about  thirty 
years  of  age. 


272 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


2.  The  Golden  Rule  (see  Chap.  XXXIV.)  was  his  favorite 
maxim. 

3.  Most  of  his  moral  maxims  were  sound  and  of  a high  order. 
The  New  American  Cyclopedia  says  (vol.  v.  p.  604),  “ His 
writings  approach  the  Christian  standard  of  morality ; ” and  in 
some  respects  they  excel. 

4.  He  traveled  in  different  countries,  preaching  and  teach- 
ing his  doctrines. 

5.  He  made  a host  of  converts,  amounting  now  to  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  millions. 

6.  His  religion  and  morals  have  been  propagated  by  apostles 
and  missionaries,  some  of  whom  are  now  traveling  in  this 
country,  laboring  to  convert  Christians  to  their  superior  reli- 
gion and  morals.  “ There  was  a time,”  says  the  work  above 
quoted,  “ when  European  philosophers  vied  with  each  other  in 
extolling  Confucius  as  one  of  the  sublimest  teachers  of  truth 
among  mankind.” 

In  the  following  respects  his  teachings  were  superior  to  those 
of  Christ : — 

1.  He  taught  that  “ the  knowledge  of  one’s  self  is  the  basis 
of  all  real  advances  in  morals  and  manners.”  A lesson  Christ 
neglected  to  teach. 

2.  “ The  duties  man  owes  to  society  and  himself  are  minute- 
ly defined  by  Confucius,”  says  the  Cyclopedia.  Another  im- 
portant work  Christ  partially  omitted. 

He  constructed  several  hundred  beautiful  and  instructive 
moral  maxims,  which  we  have  not  space  for  here,  and  which 
amply  prove  that  “ the  holiest  truths  were  inculcated  by  pagan 
philosophers.” 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , PRECEPTS . 273 


CHAPTER  XXXIY. 

THE  THREE  PILLARS  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  FAITH 
-MIRACLES,  PROPHECIES,  AND  PRECEPTS. 

When  Christians  are  asked  for  the  proof  of  the  divinity  of 
Jesus  Christ,  they  point  to  his  miracles  and  precepts,  and  the 
Messianic  prophecies,  said  to  have  been  fulfilled  by  his  coming. 
And  the  same  kind  of  evidence  is  adduced  to  prove  the  divine 
claims  of  their  bible  and  its  religion,  including  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, which  contains  the  prophecies.  Their  divine  origin  and 
supernatural  character  are  claimed  to  be  proved  by  the  miracles, 
prophecies,  and  precepts  found  recorded  in  the  Holy  Book. 
All,  then,  stand  or  fall  together  — the  divinity  of  Christ,  and 
the  divinity  of  the  bible  and  its  religion,  all,  rest  on  this  three- 
fold argument.  All,  it  is  claimed,  are  attested  and  proved  by 
a threefold  display  of  divine  power,  manifested,  — 

1.  By  the  performance  of  various  acts,  transcending  human 
power  and  the  laws  of  nature,  called  Miracles. 

- 2.  By  the  discernment  of  events  lying  in  the  future  which 
no  human  sagacity  or  prescience  could  have  foreseen,  unless 
aided  by  Omniscience  ; the  display  of  such  power  being  called 
Prophecy. 

3.  By  the  enunciation  of  Moral  Precepts  beyond  the  mental 
capacity  of  human  beings  to  originate. 

These  three  propositions  cover  the  whole  ground.  They  con- 
stitute the  three  grand  pillars  of  the  Christian  faith,  which,  if 
shown  to  be  untenable,  must  prostrate  the  whole  superstructure 
to  the  ground.  We  will  examine  each  separately,  commencing 
with  miracles. 


18 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


•174 

I.  Miracles  the  first  Pillar  of  the  Christian  Faith. 

We  will  not  occupy  space  in  discussing  the  various  meanings 
assigned  to  the  word  miracle  by  different  writers,  but  take  the 
popular  definition  as  given  above,  and  proceed  to  inquire  how 
much  evidence  can  be  deduced  from  the  miracles  represented 
as  having  been  performed  by  Jesus  Christ,  toward  proving  his 
divinity  and  the  truth  of  his  religion.  In  the  first  place,  it 
should  be  borne  in  mind  that  Christianity  is  not  the  only 
religion  which  appeals  to  miracles  as  a proof  of  its  divine 
authorship.  More  than  three  hundred  systems  and  sects  are 
reported  in  history,  most  of  which  have,  from  time  immemorial, 
gloried  in  being  able  to  wield  this  knock-down  argument,  as 
they  claim  it  to  be,  in  support  of  the  truth  and  divine  authen- 
ticity of  their  various  systems  of  faith.  We  will  briefly  notice 
some  of  the  miraculous  achievements  reported  in  their  sacred 
books,  and  ascribed  to  their  Gods  and  sin-atoning  Saviors,  and 
compare  them  with  similar  ones  related  of  Jesus  Christ,  com- 
mencing with 

Pagan  Miracles . 

As  the  whole  pathway  of  religious  history  is  thickly  bestud- 
ded  with  miracles  wrought  in  all  ages  and  countries,  and  every 
page  of  the  oriental  bibles  and  religious  books  is  literally  loaded 
down  with  the  relation  of  these  marvelous  prodigies  said  to 
have  been  wrought  by  their  Gods,  Demigods,  and  crucified 
Saviors,  it  places  a writer  in  a quandary  to  know  where  to  be- 
gin to  make  a selection.  We  will  express  no  opinion  here  as 
to  whether  these  astounding  feats  were  ever  witnessed  or  not; 
but  will  merely  state  that  they  come  to  us  as  well  authenticated 
as  those  reported  in  the  Christian  bible.  There  is  as  much 
evidence  that  Zoroaster,  at  the  request  of  King  Gustaph,  caused 
a tree  to  spring  up  in  a man’s  yard  forthwith,  of  such  magnifi- 
cent proportions  that  no  rope  could  be  found  large  enough  to 
reach  around  it,  as  that  Jesus  Christ  caused  a fig  tree  to  wither 
away  by  merely  cursing  it.  And  we  have  the  same  kind  of 
evidence  that  the  Hindoo  Messiah,  Christina,  of  India,  restored 
two  boys  to  life  who  had  been  killed  by  the  bites  of  serpents, 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , PRECEPTS.  275 


as  that  Jesus  Christ  resurrected  Lazarus  and  the  widow’s  son 
of  Nain  ; and  as  much  proof  that  Bacchus  turned  water  into 
wine,  as  that  Jesus  performed  this  act  six  hundred  years  after. 
And  a hundred  other  similar  comparisons  might  be  drawn. 
The  evidence  of  the  truth  of  these  performances  in  both  cases, 
pagan  and  Christian,  is  simply  the  report  of  the  writer.  If 
there  are  any  exceptions  to  be  made  in  either  case  of  better 
evidence,  it  will  be  found  in  favor  of  the  pagan  religion  ; for  its 
adherents  are  able  in  many  cases  to  point  to  imperishable  mon- 
uments of  stone  erected  in  commemoration  of  their  miracles. 
And  Mr.  Goodrich  tells  us  this  is  the  highest  species  of  evidence 
that  can  be  offered  to  prove  the  truth  of  any  ancient  event. 
But  as  Christians,  on  the  other  hand,  can  find  no  such  evidence 
to  prove  the  performance  of  any  miracles  reported  in  their  bible, 
it  will  be  seen  at  once  that  the  pagan  miracles  are  the  best  au- 
thenticated. The  famous  historian  Pausanias  states  upon  cur- 
rent authority  that  Esculapius  raised  several  persons  from  the 
dead,  and  names  Hippolytus  among  the  number,  and  then 
points  to  a stone  monument  erected  as  a proof  of  the  occur- 
rence — thus  furnishing,  according  to  Christian  logic,  the  most 
conclusive  proof  of  one  of  the  most  astounding  miracles  ever 
wrought.  And  yet  no  philosopher  or  man  of  science  in  this 
age  can  credit  the  literal  truth  of  the  story.  But  a spiritualist 
can  easily  conceive  that  he  and  others  might  have  mistaken  the 
risen  spirits  of  those  resurrected  persons  for  their  physical 
bodies,  because  they  know  that  many  mistakes  of  this  kind 
have  occurred  in  modern  times. 

We  might  refer  to  many  other  cases  of  pagan  miracles  at- 
tested by  monumental  evidence  if  our  space  would  permit  — 
such  as  the  names  of  many  persons  engraven  upon  the  walls  of 
the  Temple  of  Serapis,  miraculously  carved  by  the  God  Escu- 
lapius. Strabo  tells  us  the  ancient  temples  are  full  of  tablets 
describing  miraculous  cures  performed  by  virgin-born  Gods  of 
those  times,  and  names  a case  of  two  blind  men  being  restored 
to  sight  by  the  son  of  God  Alcides  in  the  presence  of  a large 
multitude  of  people,  “ who  acknowledged  the  miraculous  power 
of  the  God  with  loud  acclaim.”  Many  spiritualists  at  the  pres- 
ent day  know  by  practical  experience  how  these  “miraculous 


276 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


cures”  were  performed.  Without  continuing  the  citation  of 
cases,  suffice  it  to  say,  the  sin-atoning  Gods  of  the  orientals  are 
reported  as  performing  the  same  train  of  miracles  assigned  to 
Jesus  Christ,  such  as  performing  astonishing  cures,  casting  out 
devils,  raising  the  dead,  &c.  Now,  sadly  warped  indeed  by 
education  must  be  that  mind  which  cannot  see  that  if  the 
account  of  such  prodigies,  reported  in  the  history  of  Jesus 
Christ,  can  do  anything  towards  proving  him  to  have  been  a 
God,  then  the  world  must  have  been  full  of  Gods  long  before 
his  time.  It  is  impossible  to  dodge  or  evade  such  a conclusion. 
Christians  are  in  the  habit  of  assuming  that  all  the  miraculous 
reports  in  the  bible  are  unquestionably  true,  while  those  re- 
ported in  pagan  bibles  are  mere  fable  and  fiction.  But  if  they 
will  reverse  this  proposition,  it  can  be  easier  supported,  because 
we  have  shown  their  miracles  are  better  attested  and  authen- 
ticated. Their  own  bible  admits  that  the  heathen  not  only 
could  and  did  perform  miracles,  but  miraculous  prodigies  of 
the  most  astonishing  character,  equal  to  anything  reported  in 
their  own  religious  history  — such  as  transmuting  water  into 
blood,  sticks  into  serpents,  and  stones  into  frogs.  In  a word, 
it  is  admitted  they  performed  all  the  miraculous  feats  of  Moses 
with  the  single  exception  of  turning  dust  into  lice.  But  cer- 
tainly making  lice  was  not  a more  difficult  achievement  than 
that  of  making  frogs,  and  this  it  is  admitted  they  did  do  success- 
fully. Hence  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Egyptian  pagans  made 
as  great  a display  of  divine  or  miraculous  power  as  “God’s 
Holy  People,”  according  to  the  admission  of  the  bible  itself. 
And  there  is  no  intimation  that  the  mode  of  performing  the 
miracles  was  not  the  same  in  both  cases,  but  a strong  proba- 
bility exists  that  it  was,  a conclusion  confirmed  by  the  bible 
report  of  the  case  which  leads  us  to  infer  that  they  performed 
the  miracles  in  the  same  way  Moses  did.  For  it  is  said,  “The 
Egyptians  did  so  with  their  enchantments  ” — that  is,  with  the 
“ enchanting  rod  ” used  on  such  occasions  by  the  Egyptians, 
Assyrians,  Babylonians,  and  other  nations,  including  also  the 
Jews.  Now,  as  Moses  always  used  the  “enchanting  rod”  in 
performing  miracles,  called  by  him  “the  rod  of  God,  the  rod 
of  divination,”  &c.  (see  Ex.  iv.),  there  is  thus  furnished  the  most 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , ^4AZ>  PRECEPTS . 277 


satisfactory  proof  that  he  performed  his  miracles  on  this  occa- 
sion, as  well  as  all  other  occasions,  by  the  same  stratagem  as 
the  Egyptians  and  other  nations  did.  And  even  if  the  mode 
adopted  by  the  Egyptians  had  been  different,  it  is  still  admitted 
they  performed  the  miracles.  In  the  name  of  reason  and  com- 
mon sense,  then,  we  ask  if  such  facts  as  here  presented  with 
the  case  just  referred  to  do  not  forever  prostrate  and  annihilate 
all  arguments  based  on  miracles  toward  proving  the  divine 
character  or  divine  origin  of  the  religion  of  the  bible,  or  to- 
wards proving  Jesus  Christ,  or  any  other  being  reported  to  have 
performed  miracles,  as  possessing  divine  attributes  ? 

Catholic  Miracles. 

Some  of  the  most  astonishing  and  best  authenticated  miracles 
ever  performed  by  any  religious  sect  we  find  reported  in  the 
history  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  looked  upon  and  styled 
by  the  Protestants  “ the  mother  of  Harlots  and  Abomination  .” 
And  yet  there  is  much  stronger  proof  that  the  Catholic  religion 
has  the  divine  sanction,  if  miracles  can  furnish  such  proof. 
The  editor  of  “The  Official  Memoirs”  declares  that  during  the 
Italian  war  in  1797,  several  pictures  of  the  virgin  Mary,  situ- 
ated in  different  parts  of  the  country,  were  seen  to  open  and 
shut  their  eyes  for  the  space  of  six  or  seven  months,  and  that 
no  less  than  sixty  thousand  people  actually  saw  this  miracle 
performed,  including  many  bishops,  deacons,  cardinals,  and  other 
officers  of  the  church,  whose  names  are  given.  And  Forsyth’s 
Italy  (p.  844),  written  by  a highly  accredited  author,  tells  us 
that  a withered  elm  tree  was  suddenly  restored  to  full  life  and 
vigor  by  coming  in  contact  with  the  body  of  St.  Zenobis,  and 
that  this  miracle  took  place  in  the  most  public  part  of  the 
town,  in  the  presence  of  many  thousands  of  people ; that  “ it 
is  recorded  by  cotemporary  historians,  and  inscribed  upon  a 
marble  column  now  standing  where  the  tree  stood.”  Now,  the 
question  may  be  asked  here,  Would  the  people  have  allowed 
such  an  impudent  trick  to  insult  them  as  the  erection  of  a 
monument  for  an  event  that  never  took  place  ? If  not,  how  is 
the  matter  to  be  explained?  These  are  only  specimens  of  a 
hundred  more  Catholic  miracles  of  an  astonishing  character  at 


278 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


our  command.  Several  queries  may  be  entertained  in  the  solu- 
tion of  these  stories.  1st,  Were  some  phenomena  really  wit- 
nessed on  which  these  stories  were  constructed,  but  which  ge  t 
magnified  from  a molehill  to  a mountain  before  they  found 
their  way  into  history  ? or,  2d,  Were  they  manufactured  as  a 
pious  fraud,  which  was  rather  a fashionable  business  with  the 
early  disciples  of  the  Christian  faith,  according  to  Mr.  Mosheim  ? 
Whatever  answer  may  be  given  to  these  questions  will  explain 
the  miracles  of  the  Christian  bible,  excepting  those  which  can 
be  accounted  for  on  natural  principles. 

/Satanic  Miracles . 

Among  all  the  workers  of  miracles  reported  in  the  bible  the 
devil  seems  to  have  been  pre-eminent,  and  hence  must  come 
in  for  the  better  end  of  the  argument  toward  proving  him  to 
have  been  a God.  No  miracle  could  excel  the  act  of  his 
“transforming  himself  into  an  angel  of  light,”  as  stated  in 
2 Cor.  xi.  14.  It  is  not  transcended  by  any  other  case,  not 
even  by  Christ’s  transfiguration.  And  according  to  Paul  he 
was  endowed  “ with  all  power,  and  signs,  and  lying  wonders.” 
(Thess.  ii.  9.)  If,  then,  he  possessed  “ all  power,”  Christ,  and 
no  other  God,  could  have  possessed  a miraculous  power  supe- 
rior to  his,  for  “ all  ” comprehends  the  whole , beyond  which 
nothing  can  reach.  Where,  then,  is  the  evidence  to  come  from 
to  prove  that  Christ  was  a God,  because  he  was  a miracle- 
worker,  or  his  religion  divine,  because  attested  by  miracles  — 
seeing  the  devil  performed  some  of  the  most  difficult  miracles 
ever  wrought.  Should  we  not  then  change  his  title  from  that 
of  a demon  to  a God,  and  place  his  religion  amongst  the  di- 
vii  ely  endowed  systems.  St.  John  represents  the  “ Evil  One  ” 
as  having  power  to  make  “fire  come  down  from  heaven  in  the 
sight  of  men,”  and  “to  deceive  those  that  dwell  on  the  earth 
by  means  of  those  miracles  which  he  hath  power  to  do.”  (Rev. 
xiii.  13  ) 

Here  the  question  arises,  What  can  a miracle  prove,  what  end 
can  it  serve,  or  wbAt  good  can  possibly  arise  from  the  display 
of  the  miracle-working  power,  when  it  is  liable  “ to  deceive 
those  that  dwell  upon  the  earth”?  Certainly,  therefore,  it 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , yliVT?  PRECEPTS.  27!) 

proves  nothing,  and  accomplishes  nothing.  And  may  not  the 
apostles  themselves  have  been  deceived  in  ascribing  some  of 
the  miracles  they  record  to  Jesus  instead  of  the  devil?  Cer- 
tainly we  are  drifted  upon  the  quicksands  of  uncertainty  by  such 
a display  of  the  miracle-working  power,  and  are  obnoxious  to 
most  fatal  deception,  which  proves  the  total  inutility  and  futil- 
ity of  such  prodigies. 

Christ's  Miracles  not  his  Own , but  wrought  through  Him  and 
not  by  Him . 

How  could  Christ’s  miracles,  assuming  they  were  wrought, 
do  anything  toward  proving  his  divinity,  when  he  did  not 
claim  to  be  their  author,  but  merely  the  agent  or  instrument  in 
the  hands  of  the  Father,  like  the  apostles,  who  are  reported  to 
have  performed  the  same  miracles  ? “The  Father  he  doeth  the 
work,”  is  his  own  declaration.  And  the  apostles  seem  to  have 
accepted  his  word,  and  his  view  of  the  matter.  For  proof 
listen  to  Peter:  “Ye  men  of  Israel,  hear  these  words:  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  a man  approved  of  God  among  you  by  miracles, 
and  wonders,  and  signs,  ivhich  God  did  by  him  in  the  midst  of 
you,  as  ye  yourselves  do  know.”  (Acts  ii.  22.)  Let  it  be  noted, 
then,  that  Christ’s  miracles  were  not  performed  by  him  as  a 
God,  but  as  “ a man  approved  of  God  ; ” he  was  the  mere 
medium  or  instrument  in  the  case  — a fact  which  banishes  at 
once  all  grounds  for  controversy  relative  to  his  miracles  serv- 
ing the  purpose  of  attesting  his  divinity,  especially  when  it  is 
conceded  that  men,  magicians,  and  devils  could  achieve  the 
same  feats. 

Christ's  Miracles  did  not  convince  the  People. 

As  the  miracles  of  Christ  seem  to  have  had  little  effect 
toward  convincing  the  people  of  his  claims  to  the  godhead,  it 
is  evident  they  could  have  been  but  little  superior  to  those  per- 
formed by  others,  and  therefore  not  designed,  at  least  not  cal- 
culated, to  convince  them  that  he  was  a God.  The  frequent 
instances  in  which  he  upbraids  the  people  for  their  unbelief, 
and  calls  them  fools,  “ slow  of  heart,”  &c.,  is  a proof  of  this  state- 
ment. 


280 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


Christ's  Miracles  not  designed  to  convince  the  People. 

A circumstance  involving  pretty  strong  proof  that  Christ’s 
miraculous  achievements  were  not  considered  as  evidence  of 
his  divinity,  is  the  fact  that  they  were  frequently  performed  in 
private,  sometimes  in  the  night,  and  often  under  the  injunction 
of  secrecy.  “ See  thou  tell  no  man,”  was  the  injunction,  after 
the  feat  was  performed,  perhaps,  in  a private  room.  How  can 
such  facts  be  reconciled  with  the  assumption  that  his  miracles 
were  designed  to  convince  the  people  of  his  claim  to  the  Divine 
Entity,  as  Christians  frequently  assert,  when  the  people  were 
not  allowed  to  witness  them,  nor  his  disciples  even  to  report 
them?  Who  can  believe  that  he  was  a Divine  Being,  or  Mes- 
siah, when  he  charged  his  disciples  to  tell  no  man  ” that  he 
was  such  a Being  ? Such  incongruities  verge  to  a contradic- 
tion. It  is  a logical  contradiction  to  say  that  private  miracles 
were  designed  to  dissolve  public  skepticism.  And  yet  many,  if 
not  most,  of  his  reputed  miraculous  achievements  were  of  this 
character.  When  he  cured  a blind  man,  he  not  only  led  him 
out  of  the  town  ” (Mark  viii.  23),  but  forbid  him,  when  his  sight 
was  restored,  returning  to  the  city,  for  fear  he  would  publish  it. 
When  he  resurrected  Lazarus,  he  did  not  call  the  whole  country 
around  to  witness  it,  but  performed  the  act  before  a private 
party.  The  reanimation  of  Jairus’s  daughter  was  in  the  same 
concealed  manner,  in  a private  room,  where  nobody  was  admit- 
ted but  his  three  confidential  disciples  (Peter,  James,  and  John) 
and  the  parents,  none  of  whom  make  any  report  of  the  case. 
How,  therefore,  the  reporter  (Mark)  found  it  out,  when  he  was 
not  present,  and  none  of  the  party  were  allowed  to  tell  it  to 
anybody,  or  why  he  should  betray  his  trust  by  publishing  it,  if 
he  was  informed  of  it,  is  a “ mystery  of  Godliness  ” not  easily 
divined.  When  Christ  cleansed  the  leper,  he  sent  him  to  the 
priest,  enjoining  him  to  “ say  nothing  to  any  man.”  The  dumb, 
when  restored  to  speech,  was  not  allowed  to  exhibit  any  practi- 
cal proof  of  the  fact  by  using  his  tongue.  His  miraculous  per- 
ambulation on  the  surface  of  the  sea  (walking  on  the  water)  was 
not  only  alone,  but  in  the  dark.  His  transfiguration,  likewise, 
according  to  Dr.  Barnes,  took  place  in  the  night,  his  three  favor 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , /1AZ>  PRECEPTS.  281 


ite  companions  being  the  only  witnesses,  and  they  “ heavy  with 
sleep.”  And  finally,  the  crowning  miracle  of  all,  the  resurrection, 
is  not  only  represented  as  taking  place  in  the  night,  but  without 
one  substantial  or  terrestrial  witness  to  report  it.  Verily  such 
facts  as  these  are  not  calculated  to  augment  the  faith  or  work  the 
conviction  of  a skeptic  that  these  miracles  were  ever  performed, 
seeing  so  few  are  reported  as  witnessing  them,  and  even  their 
testimony  is  not  given.  We  have  not  the  testimony  of  one 
person  who  claims  to  have  been  present  and  seen  these  won- 
ders performed.  Such  facts  are  calculated  to  cast  distrust 
upon  the  whole  matter,  especially  when  taken  in  connection 
with  the  fact  that  nine  tenths  of  his  life  form  a perfect  blank 
in  history.  Is  it  possible,  we  ask,  to  reconcile  such  a fact  with 
the  belief  of  his  divinity  ? Is  it  possible  a God  could  lead  a pri- 
vate life,  or  live  twenty-seven  years  on  earth,  and  do  nothing 
worthy  of  note  — a God  known  to  nobody  and  noticed  by  no- 
body? Most  transcendingly  absurd  is  such  a thought.  Had 
Christ  possessed  the  character  that  is  claimed  for  him,  not  an 
hour  of  his  life  could  have  passed  unaccompanied  by  some  re- 
markable incident  that  would  have  been  heralded  abroad,  and 
its  record  indelibly  engraven  upon  the  page  of  history ; but  in- 
stead of  this,  his  acts  were  too  commonplace  to  be  noticed. 

All  History  ignores  Him . 

The  fact  that  no  history,  sacred  or  profane,  — that  not  one 
of  the  three  hundred  histories  of  that  age, — makes  the  slight- 
est allusion  to  Christ,  or  any  of  the  miraculous  incidents  ingraft- 
ed into  his  life,  certainly  proves,  with  a cogency  that  no  logic 
can  overthrow,  no  sophistry  can  contradict,  and  no  honest 
skepticism  can  resist,  that  there  never  was  such  a miraculously 
endowed  being  as  his  many  orthodox  disciples  claim  him  to 
have  been.  The  fact  that  Christ  finds  no  place  in  the  history 
of  the  era  in  which  he  lived,  — that  not  one  event  of  his  life  is 
recorded  by  anybody  but  his  own  interested  and  prejudiced 
biographers,  — settles  the  conclusion,  beyond  cavil  or  criticism, 
that  the  godlike  achievements  ascribed  to  him  are  naught  but 
fable  or  fiction.  It  not  only  proves  he  was  not  miraculously 
endowed,  but  proves  he  was  not  even  naturally  endowed  to 


282 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


such  an  extraordinary  degree  as  to  make  him  an  object  of  gen 
eral  attention.  It  would  be  a historical  anomaly  without  a 
precedent,  that  Christ  should  have  performed  any  of  the  ex- 
traordinary acts  attributed  to  him  in  the  Gospels,  and  no  Ro- 
man or  Grecian  historian,  and  neither  Philo  nor  Josephus,  both 
writing  in  that  age,  and  both  living  almost  on  the  spot 
where  they  are  said  to  have  been  witnessed,  and  both  record- 
ing minutely  all  the  religious  events  of  that  age  and  country, 
make  the  slightest  mention  of  one  of  them,  nor  their  reputed 
authors.  Such  a historical  fact  banishes  the  last  shadow  of 
faith  in  their  reality.  It  is  true  a few  lines  are  found  in  one  of 
Josephus’s  large  works  alluding  to  Christ.  But  it  is  so  mani- 
festly a forgery,  that  we  believe  all  modern  critics  of  any  note, 
even  of  the  orthodox  school,  reject  it  as  a base  interpolation. 
Even  Dr.  Lardner,  one  of  the  ablest  defenders  of  the  Christian 
faith  that  ever  wielded  a pen  in  its  support,  and  who  has  writ- 
ten ten  large  volumes  to  bolster  it  up,  assigns  nine  cogent 
reasons  (which  we  would  insert  here  if  we  had  space)  for  the 
conclusion  that  Josephus  could  not  have  penned  those  few 
lines  found  in  his  “Jewish  Antiquities  ” referring  to  Christ.  No 
Jew  could  possibly  use  such  language.  It  would  be  a glaring 
absurdity  to  suppose  a leading  Jew  could  call  Jesus  “The 
Christ,”  when  the  whole  Jewish  nation  have  ever  contested  the 
claim  with  the  sternest  logic,  and  fought  it  to  the  bitter  end. 
“It  ought,  therefore”  (says  Dr.  Lardner,  for  the  nine  reasons 
which  he  assigns),  “to  be  forever  discarded  from  any  place 
among  the  evidences  of  Christianity.”  (Life  of  Lardner  by  Dr. 
Kippis,  p.  28.)  As  the  passage  is  not  found  in  any  edition  of 
Josephus  prior  to  the  era  of  Eusebius,  the  suspicion  has  fas- 
tened upon  that  Christian  writer  as  being  its  author,  who  argued 
that  falsehood  might  be  used  as  a medicine  for  the  benefit  of 
the  churches.  (See  his  Eccles.  Hist.)  Origen,  who  lived  before 
Eusebius,  admitted  Josephus  makes  no  allusion  to  Christ.  Of 
course  the  passage  was  not,  then,  in  Josephus.  One  or  two 
other  similar  passages  have  been  found,  in  other  authors  of  that 
era,  which  it  is  not  necessary  to  notice  here,  as  they  are  re- 
jected by  Christian  writers.  It  must  be  conceded,  therefore, 
that  the  numerous  histories  covering  the  epoch  of  the  birth  of 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , ylA£>  PRECEPTS.  28b 


Christ  chronicle  none  of  the  astounding  feats  incorporated  in 
his  Gospel  biographies  as  signalizing  his  earthly  career,  and 
make  no  mention  of  the  reputed  hero  of  these  achievements, 
either  by  name  or  character.  The  conclusion  is  thus  irresisti- 
bly forced  upon  us,  not  only  that  he  was  not  a miracle- worker, 
but  that  he  must  have  led  rather  an  obscure  life,  entirely  in- 
compatible with  his  being  a God  or  a Messiah,  who  came  “ to 
draw  all  men  unto  him.”  And  it  should  also  be  noted  here 
that  none  of  Christ’s  famous  biographers,  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke, 
or  John,  are  honored  with  a notice  in  history  till  one  hundred 
and  ninety  years  after  the  birth  of  Christ.  And  then  the  no- 
tice was  by  a Christian  writer  (Ireneus). 

“We  look  in  vain,”  says  a writer,  “for  any  cotemporary 
notice  of  the  Gospels,  or  Christ  the  subject  of  the  Gospels,  out- 
side of  the  New  Testament.  So  little  was  this  ‘ king  of  the 
Jews’  known,  that  the  Romans  were  compelled  to  pay  one  of 
his  apostles  to  turn  traitor  and  act  as  guide  before  they  could 
find  him.  It  is  impossible  to  observe  this  negative  testimony 
of  all  history  against  Christ  and  his  miracles,  and  not  be  struck 
with  amazement,  and  seized  with  the  conviction  that  he  was 
not  a God,  and  not  a very  extraordinary  man.”  Who  can 
believe  that  a God,  from  off  the  throne  of  heaven,  could  make 
his  appearance  on  earth,  and  while  performing  the  most  as- 
tounding miracles  ever  recorded  in  any  history,  or  that  ever 
excited  the  credulity  of  any  people,  and  be  finally  publicly  cru- 
cified in  the  vicinity  of  a great  city,  and  yet  all  the  histories 
written  in  those  times,  both  sacred  and  profane,  pass  over  with 
entire  silence  the  slightest  notice  of  any  of  these  extraordinary 
events.  Impossible  — most  self-evidently  impossible  ! ! And 
when  we  find  that  this  omission  was  so  absolute  that  no  record 
was  made  of  the  day  or  year  of  his  birth  by  any  person  in  the 
era  in  which  he  lived,  and  that  they  were  finally  forgotten,  and 
hence  that  there  are,  as  a writer  informs  us,  no  less  than  one 
hundred  and  thirty-three  different  opinions  about  the  matter, 
the  question  assumes  a still  more  serious  aspect.  From  the 
logical  potency  of  these  facts  we  are  driven  to  the  conclusion 
that  Christ  received  but  little  attention  outside  of  the  circle  of 
his  own  credulous  and  interested  followers,  and  consequently 


284 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


Btands  on  a level  with  Christina  of  India,  Mithra  of  Persia,  Osi- 
ris of  Egypt,  and  other  demigods  of  antiquity,  all  whose  mirac- 
ulous legends  were  ingrafted  in  their  histories  long  after  their 
death.  This  leads  us  to  consider 

How  Christ's  incredible  Legends  got  into  his  History. 

There  is  a remarkably  easy  and  satisfactory  way  of  account- 
ing for  all  the  marvelous  feats  and  incredible  stories  found  in 
the  Gospel  narratives  of  Jesus  Christ,  without  assuming  their 
reality  or  any  intentional  fraud  or  falsehood  by  the  writers. 
When  we  learn  that  none  of  his  evangelical  biographies  were 
penned  (as  Dr.  Lardner  affirms)  till  long  after  his  death,  we  are 
no  longer  puzzled  for  a moment  to  understand  exactly  how 
many  statements  wholly  incredible  and  morally  impossible 
crept  into  his  history,  without  challenging  or  calling  in  ques- 
tion the  veracity  or  honesty  of  the  writer.  Perhaps  the  most 
powerful  cord  of  moral  conviction  which  holds  the  Christian 
professor  to  a belief  in  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  diffi- 
culty of  bringing  himself  to  believe  that  the  numerous  mira- 
cles ascribed  to  him  in  the  Gospels  are  merely  the  work  of 
fiction,  fabricated  without  a basis  of  truth,  when  they  were 
evidently  penned  by  men  of  the  deepest  piety  and  the  strictest 
moral  integrity.  We  ourselves  were  once  environed  with  this 
difficult}^.  But  it  stands  in  our  way  no  longer.  We  are  disin- 
thralled.  We  have  solved  the  problem.  We  have  found  the 
true  explanation.  The  key  and  clew  to  the  whole  secret  is 
found  in  the  simple  fact,  admitted  by  Christian  writers  and  evi- 
denced by  the  bible  itself,  that  no  history  of  Christ’s  practical 
life  was  written  out  by  a person  claiming  to  have  been  an  eye - 
witness  of  the  events  reported,  nor  until  every  incident  and  act 
of  the  noble-minded  Nazarene  had  had  ample  time  to  become 
enormously  magnified  and  distorted  by  rumor,  fable,  and  fic- 
tion ; so  that  it  was  impossible  to  discriminate  or  separate  the 
real  from  the  unreal , the  true  from  the  false,  in  his  partly-for- 
gotten  life.  It  could  not  be  done . A true  history  could  not  then 
be,  nor  have  been  written  under  such  circumstances.  It  is  man- 
ifestly impossible.  The  time  for  writing  each  Gospel  is  fixed  by 
Dr  Lardner  as  follows,  viz.:  Matthew  62  A.  D.,  Mark  64  A.D., 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , -4iVZ>  PRECEPTS . 285 


Luke  63  or  64  A.  D.,  and  John  68  A.  D. ; thus  allowing  ample 
time  for  every  noteworthy  incident  of  his  life  to  grow  from  mole- 
hills to  mountains,  and  to  swell  into  fiction,  fable,  and  prodigy,  a 
tendency  to  which  was  then  very  rife  and  very  prevalent  in  all 
religious  countries.  Having  made  a note  of  this  fact,  let  the 
reader  treasure  in  memory,  as  another  equally  important  fact, 
that  the  biography  of  no  man  of  note  who  figured  in  that  era, 
or  who  lived  prior  to  the  dawn  of  letters  (if  penned  many  years 
after  his  death,  as  was  frequently  the  case),  is  free  from  a large 
percentage  of  extravagant  detail,  and  simple  incidents  magni- 
fied into  miracles.  This  was  the  uncurbed  tendency  of  the 
age  which  ultimated  into  universal  custom. 

The  simplest  incident  in  every  man’s  life,  who  exhibited  mind 
enough  to  attract  attention,  by  rolling  from  year  to  year,  and 
passing  from  mouth  to  mouth,  invariably  got  to  be  finally 
swelled  into  such  undue  and  enormous  proportions,  that  it 
could  only  be  accounted  for  by  assuming  the  actor  to  have 
been  a God.  In  this  way  many  men  of  different  countries, 
who  had  made  a mark  in  the  world,  received  divine  honors  and 
divine  attributes,  including  such  characters  as  Chrishna  of  India, 
Mithra  of  Persia,  Quirinus  of  Rome,  Eras  of  the  Druids,  Quex- 
alcote  of  Mexico,  Jesus  Christ  of  Judea,  and  many  others  who 
might  be  mentioned.  This  circumstance  deified  them.  The 
evidence  of  history  to  prove  this  declaration  is  abundant  and 
irresistible. 

Posthumous  Histories  alone  deified  Men. 

To  the  two  important  facts  above  cited,  viz.,  that  Jesus 
Christ’s  evangelical  histories  were  all  written  long  after  his 
death,  and  that  unwritten  histories  of  great  men  always  become 
swollen  and  distorted  with  the  lapse  of  time,  let  the  reader  add 
the  equally  significant  fact  that  there  is  in  all  cases  a vast  dif- 
ference in  the  biographies  of  famous  men,  penned  during  their 
actual  lives,  or  immediately  subsequent  to  their  death,  while 
every  act  and  incident  of  their  career  was  fresh  and  vigorous 
in  the  minds  and  memories  of  the  cotemporaneous  people,  and 
before  the  ball  of  exaggerated  rumor  was  set  rolling,  compared 
with  those  written  at  a later  date,  after  molehills  of  fact  had 


286 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


become  mountains  of  fiction.  The  former  are  natural  and  rea- 
sonable, the  latter  unnatural  and  extravagant,  and  often  fabu- 
lous. We  will  cite  a few  cases  in  proof.  Let  the  reader  com* 
pare  the  biographical  sketches  of  Alexander  the  Great  written 
near  the  epoch  of  his  practical  life,  and  those  composed  since 
the  dawn  of  the  Christian  era,  and  he  will  find  that  the  posthu- 
mous notices  of  him  alone  contain  the  story  of  the  sun  becom- 
ing obscured,  and  the  earth  enveloped  in  darkness,  at  the  time 
of  his  mortal  exit.  It  will  be  found,  also,  that  Virgil’s  account 
of  “the  sheeted  dead,”  rising  from  their  graves  at  the  time  of 
Caesar’s  death,  and  which  was  written  long  after  that  famous 
hero  left  the  stage  of  action,  is  omitted  in  all  the  cotemporary 
notices  of  that  monarch,  having  crept  in  subsequently. 

In  like  manner,  the  various  miracles  recorded  of  Pythagoras 
by  his  biographer  Jamblicus,  — such  as  his  walking  on  the 
air,  stilling  the  tempest,  raising  the  dead,  &c.,  — are  not  related 
of  him  by  any  cotemporaneous  writers  who  lived  in  the  era  of 
his  practical  life.  And  let  the  reader  compare,  also,  Damos’ 
life  of  Apollonius  with  that  of  his  later  biography  by  Philos- 
tratus,  as  an  illustration  of  the  same  historical  fact.  Mahomet 
and  his  biographies  might  be  included  in  the  same  category. 
It  is  a remarkable  circumstance  that  neither  Mahomet  himself 
nor  any  of  his  immediate  followers  claim  for  him  more  than  the 
humble  title  of  prophet,  or  “God’s  holy  prophet,”  while  his 
later  admirers  and  devout  disciples  have  elevated  him  to  the 
throne  of  heaven,  and  given  him  a seat  among  the  Gods. 

And  this  historical  analysis  might  be  extended  much  farther 
if  necessary.  But  cases  enough  have  been  cited  to  prove  the 
principle  and  establish  the  proposition.  And  what  is  the  lesson 
taught  by  these  facts  ? A deeply-instructive  and  all-important 
one.  From  the  foregoing  historical  illustrations  we  are  im- 
pelled to  the  important  conclusion,  that  the  tissue  of  extrava- 
gant and  incredible  stories  of  demigod  performances  which  run 
as  a vein  of  fiction  through  the  Gospel  narrations  of  Jesus  Christ, 
all  grow  out  of  long-continued  rumor,  in  an  age  when  the  ima- 
gination was  untamed  and  unbounded,  and  credulity  uncurbed 
by  a practical  knowledge  of  the  principles  of  science,  and  con- 
sequently the  pen  of  the  historian  had  lawless  scope.  All  diffi* 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , vlAZ>  PRECEPTS.  287 


culty  then  vanishes,  and  the  question  is  put  fore  re r at  rest  by 
assuming  that  if  the  Gospel  histories  of  Jesus  had  been  written 
by  men  who  claimed  to  record  only  what  they  saw  and  heard 
themselves , we  should  have  a more  credible  and  instructive  his- 
tory of  the  great  Judean  reformer,  freed  from  those  Munchau- 
sen prodigies  and  that  wild  romance  which  mar  the  beauty 
and  credibility  of  those  now  in  popular  use.  This  conclusion 
is  not  only  natural,  but  irresistible,  to  a mind  untrammeled  by 
education  and  unbefogged  by  priestcraft.  All  that  is  wanting 
to  convince  us  that  miracles  constitute  no  part  of  the  real  his- 
tory of  Christ,  is  a cotemporary  instead  of  a posthumous  biog- 
raphy— a history  written  in  the  age  which  knew  him,  and  by 
an  unprejudiced  writer  who  witnessed  all  his  movements.  And 
we  are  perfectly  willing  to  risk  our  reputation  in  this  life,  and 
our  salvation  in  the  next,  by  stating  our  conviction  that  this 
will  be  the  unanimous  verdict  of  posterity  before  fifty  genera- 
tions pass  away. 

Christ’s  Miracles  reconstructed  from  former  Miracles . 

There  are  other  circumstances  than  those  noticed  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  which  can  aid  us  very  materially  in  solving  the 
problem  of  Christ’s  divinity ; or,  in  other  words,  can  aid  us  in 
tracing  his  miracles  to  their  origin,  and  thus  confirm  the  truth 
of  the  preceding  proposition.  Moses  and  the  prophets  were 
considered  by  the  evangelists  antetypes  or  archetypes  of  the 
coming  Savior.  Hence  some  of  the  more  important  incidents 
of  their  lives  were  hunted  up  and  worked  over  again,  to  make 
them  fit  the  life  of  Christ  as  the  Messiah,  reconstructed  and 
applied  to  him  as  the  second  Moses,  and  a new  prophet ; for 
Moses  is  represented  as  saying,  “A  prophet  shall  the  Lord 
your  God  raise  up  like  unto  me.”  Hence  Moses  comes  in  with 
the  prophets  as  an  antetype  of  Christ.  The  transfiguration  of 
Christ  is  therefore  constituted  after  the  model  of  the  transfigu- 
ration of  Moses  on  Mount  Sinai.  And  Christ  is  represented  as 
raising  the  dead,  not  only  because  Elijah  and  Elisha  had  per- 
formed such  miracles,  but  did  it  under  circumstances  which 
prove,  as  they  suppose,  he  possessed  superior  power.  For  while 
they  could  only  reanimate  the  body  immediately  after  the 


‘288 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


breath  had  left  it,  Christ  could  raise  a man  after  he  had  been  * 
dead  four  days  (the  case  of  Lazarus).  Hence  the  New  Prophet 
was  superior  to  the  old,  and  more  like  a God  — the  thing  they 
desired  to  prove.  Both  Elijah  and  Christ  are  represented  as 
raising  a widow’s  son,  — Elijah  being  considered  the  special 
prototype  of  Christ,  who,  many  believed,  had  re-appeared  under 
the  changed  name  of  Elias.  (See  John  v.  17.)  And  then 
we  observe  that  while  Elisha  exhausted  his  skill  in  making 
three  gallons  of  oil,  Christ  could  make  thirty  gallons  of  wine 
— another  proof  of  the  superiority  of  the  New  Prophet.  Then, 
again,  the  miracle  of  feeding  one  hundred  men  with  twenty 
loaves  is  far  excelled  by  the  latter,  who  feeds  five  thousand 
men  with  five  loaves.  And  both  prophets,  Elisha  and  Christ, 
•encountered  unford  able  streams  in  their  travels ; the  expedient 
of  the  former  is  to  make  a passage,  but  Christ  performed  the 
greater  miracle  of  walking  on  the  surface.  And  while  Moses 
had  to  send  the  leper  without  the  camp  before  he  could  heal 
him,  Christ  could  heal  him  instantly  with  a single  touch.  The 
same  slaughter  of  the  infants  is  commanded  by  Herod,  in  order 
to  destroy  Christ,  that  Pharaoh  had  ordered  to  effect  the  de- 
struction of  Moses.  And  thus  many  of  the  miracles  of  Jesus 
can  be  accounted  for  as  reconstructions  of  former  miracles.  It 
was  simply  a competition  or  rivalry  between  the  New  Messi- 
anic prophet  and  the  old  prophets.  The  New  Prophet  excels 
and  comes  off  victorious  in  every  case,  and  is  thus  considered 
to  be  a God.  The  object  of  the  competition  is  to  show  that 
while  the  prophets,  assisted  by  God , could  perform  marvelous 
deeds,  Christ,  being  God  himself,  could  perform  greater.  This 
was  to  be  the  proof  of  his  being  a God , that  he  could  outvie 
the  servants  of  God  in  every  miraculous  thing  ascribed  to  them. 
This  was  one  way  adopted  to  prove  his  divinity. 

Christs  Miracles  manufactured  from  Prophecies . 

Several  of  Christ’s  miracles  seem  to  have  grown  out  of  the 
Messianic  prophecies ; that  is,  were  manufactured  in  order  to 
fulfill  the  prophecies.  There  was,  as  we  learn  by  the  Gospels, 
an  impression  deep  and  wide-spread  among  the  disciples  of 
Christ,  that  the  Old  Testament  was  full  of  texts  foretelling  the 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , ^iVZ>  PRECEPTS.  289 


advent  of  their  Messiah,  and  foreshadowing  his  practical  life. 
Under  this  conviction,  a number  of  passages  are  quoted  in  the 
Gospels  from  the  prophets  as  referring  to  Christ,  but  which, 
however,  the  context  shows  could  not  possibly. have  been  writ- 
ten with  any  such  thought  or  intention.  Matthew  has  five 
miracles  appertaining  to  Christ,  built  on  prophecies,  in  his  first 
two  chapters.  And  they  are  represented  as  taking  place  “ in 
order  that  the  prophecy  might  be  fulfilled  ; ” that  is,  Matthew, 
writing  sixty-four  years  after  Christ’s  advent,  assumes  those 
miracles  had  taken  place  because  the  prophecy  required  their 
performance,  and  hence  recorded  it  as  a fact  without  knowing 
it  to  be  such.  A great  deal  of  that  kind  of  license  was  as- 
sumed in  that  and  subsequent  ages,  as  the  facts  of  history  are 
ample  to  prove.  It  was  done  under  the  religious  conviction 
that  the  cause  of  God  and  the  church  required  it  to  be  done, 
and  that  therefore  it  was  justifiable. 

Strict  Veracity  not  required  or  observed . 

It  is  by  no  means  necessary  to  assume  that  the  recorders  of 
the  New  Testament  miracles  knew  they  had  been  performed, 
or  that  they  would  hesitate  to  record  them  as  facts  because 
they  did  not  know  them  to  be  such.  We  are  under  no  moral 
obligation  to  suppose  they  knew  anything  about  it.  People  in 
that  age  were  not  so  nice  or  so  morally  exact,  as  to  require 
proof  of  a thing  before  they  stated  it,  or  never  to  state  it  unless 
they  had  the  proof  for  its  being  true.  We  would  be  very  far 
from  accusing  the  apostolic  writers  of  malicious  falsehood,  or 
criminal  misrepresentation.  But  we  find  that  the  disciples  of 
all  religions,  in  that  age  of  the  world,  considered  it  not  only 
allowable,  but  a religious  duty,  in  the  absence  of  knowledge,  to 
supply  omissions  by  guess-work  or  conjecture;  that  is,  to  use 
assumption  in  the  place  of  proof,  and  to  state  that  a thing  was 
so  when  there  was  no  proof  of  it  whatever,  and  even  when  the 
proof  was  against  it.  All  religious  history  is  fulKof  the  exhibi- 
tion of  this  kind  of  elasticity  of  conscience.  Even  a species  of 
pious  lying  was  considered  justifiable  in  many  cases.  Paul  fur- 
nishes evidence  of  this,  when  he  says,  “ If  the  truth  of  God  hath 
more  abounded  through  my  lie  unto  his  glory,  why  am  I judged 
19 


200 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


a sinner?”  (Rom.  iii.  16.)  “No  sin  to  lie  for  the  glory  of  God, 91 
seems  to  be  the  teaching  of  this  text.  Although  Paul  does 
not  clearly  disclose  for  what  purpose  this  policy  was  employed, 
yet  it  can  easily  be  inferred.  A part  of  the  important  business 
of  the  New  Testament  writers  was  to  build  up  a reputation 
for  Christ  and  his  inspired  band  of  disciples  for  working  mira- 
cles. A fame  for  achieving  “ signs  and  wonders  ” was  the  great 
set  off  of  the  age.  There  seems  to  have  been  an  almost  bound- 
less competition  amongst  the  disciples  of  the  various  religious 
orders,  including  Jews,  Pagans,  and  Christians,  as  to  who  could, 
or  whose  God  could  outstrip  all  competitors  in  achieving  aston- 
ishing prodigies  that  should  set  the  laws  of  nature  at  defiance. 
And  no  devout  disciple,  who  had  good  inventive  powers,  would 
allow  any  rival  to  outdo  him.  Nothing  could  authenticate  the 
claim  of  the  adopted  Messiah  to  the  throne  of  heaven,  or  a par- 
ticipation in  the  Divine  Essence,  like  a miraculous  display  of 
divine  power.  Hence  the  history  of  all  the  Gods  and  demi- 
gods of  the  illiterate  ages,  including  that  of  Christ,  is  loaded 
down  with  miraculous  feats.  There  is  the  clearest  proof  that 
Christ’s  disciples  were  in  this  general  rivalry  — this  universal 
miracle-working  melee. 

Two  things  very  necessary  to  be  accomplished,  in  the  estima- 
tion of  the  apostles,  were,  first,  to  show  that  Christ  outdid  the 
heathen  Gods,  and  even  the  prophets,  in  the  display  of  the 
M'onder-exciting  miraculous  power,  and  thus  proved  his  divin- 
ity ; and  second,  that  the  prophecies  had  been  fulfilled  in  his 
coming  and  his  practical  life.  And  there  is  reason  to  believe 
all  the  New  Testament  miracles  are  founded  on  and  grew  out 
of  prophecy.  For,  although  we  do  not  find  prophecies  in  the 
Old  Testament  for  every  miracle  related  of  Christ,  yet  it  is 
probable,  if  we  had  the  Book  of  God,  “the  Book  of  Jehu,” 
“ the  Life  of  Hezekiah,”  and  other  lost  books  mentioned  in  the 
Old  Testament,  we  should  find  the  supposed  prophecy  for  every 
miracle  of  the  New  Testament.  We  should  there  find  the  key  to 
every  miracle.  The  true  explanation  of  the  matter  seems  to  be, 
that  the  apostolic  writers,  looking  through  the  Old  Testament, 
and  finding  texts  therein  which  they  believed  to  be  prophetic 
of  the  display  of  the  miraculous  power  of  Jesus,  and  passages 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , yiiVX>  PRECEPTS.  291 


which  they  religiously  believed  foreshadowed  his  coming  and 
mission,  or  some  important  event  in  his  history,  they  were 
impressed  with  the  deepest  conviction  that  God  would  not 
suffer  any  prophecy  to  go  unfulfilled.  But  *when  they  sat  down 
to  write  the  history  of  their  Messiah,  long  after  his  death, 
they  found  they  had  not  the  evidence  before  them  that  the 
prophecies  had  been  fulfilled.  A third  of  a century  had  rolled 
away  since  his  history  had  been  practically  before  the  people. 
The  subject  of  their  narrative  had  long  since  gone  to  u the 
house  of  many  mansions,”  and  left  not  a note,  or  scratch  of  a 
pen,  of  any  act  of  his  life  behind  him.  And  the  current  of 
time  had  washed  away,  or  partially  obliterated,  nearly  every 
event  of  his  earthly  career.  The  witnesses  had  nearly  all  left 
the  stage  of  action,  and  their  voices  were  forever  hushed  in  the 
silent  tomb.  What  was  to  be  done  in  such  an  emergency?  It 
was  all-important  to  show  that  the  prophecies  had  been  fulfilled 
to  the  letter  in  his  practical  life.  This  quandary,  however,  did 
not  beset  them  long.  The  difficulty  was  easily  surmounted. 
Every  religious  country,  including  Judea,  was  full  of  miraculous 
legends  and  astonishing  prodigies  appertaining  to  the  terrestrial 
movements  of  their  Gods  and  demigods,  some  of  which  had 
floated  down  on  the  stream  of  tradition  from  time  immemorial. 
And  all  had  become  blended,  confounded,  and  mixed  up  to- 
gether, until  it  was  impossible  to  know  whence  they  originated, 
where  they  belonged,  or  to  what  God  they  appertained.  These 
miraculous  stories  were  so  numerous,  and  so  varied  in  charac- 
ter, that  there  was  no  little  difficulty  in  finding  which  seemed 
to  be  the  fulfilment  of  any  Messianic  prophecy  that  had  been 
or  might  be  found  in  the  Old  Testament;  and  thus  of  the 
hundreds  of  miraculous  stories  afloat,  one  was  picked  out  and 
assumed  to  be  the  fulfillment  of  the  prophecy.  With  the  count- 
less number  of  such  stories  before  them,  which  had  been  for 
half  a century  current  in  the  community,  they  set  themselves 
to  work  to  select  and  reject,  prune  and  remodel,  honestly  be- 
lieving that  this  miracle  was  intended  to  fulfill  this  prophecy, 
and  that  miracle  that  prophecy,  &c.  And  accordingly  we  now 
find  it  so  stated  in  the  New  Testament.  As,  for  example,  a 
story  had  long  been  going  the  rounds  that  the  parents  of  a 


292 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


young  God  had  to  flee  with  him  out  of  the  country,  to  save 
his  life  from  being  destroyed  by  its  jealous  ruler.  This  they 
supposed  must  of  course  refer  to  Jesus,  because  they  had  found 
a supposed  prophecy  of  such  an  event  in  the  Jewish  bible, 
when  a more  thorough  acquaintance  with  history  would  have 
taught  them  that  the  story  did  not  refer  to  the  ruler  of  Judea 
(Ilerod),  but  to  Cansa,  an  ancient,  jealous,  despotic  king,  wTho 
ruled  India  at  a much  earlier  period.  And  the  story  of  the 
darkness  at  the  crucifixion  they  incorporated  as  a part  of  the 
histoiy  of  Jesus,  because  they  had  seen  a text  in  Joel  which 
they  supposed  presaged  such  an  event,  while,  if  they  had  been 
well  versed  in  oriental  history,  they  would  have  known  that  it 
had  long  been  recorded  as  the  last  chapter  in  the  earthly  drama 
of.  the  Hindoo  God  Chrishna.  And  so  of  the  other  miracles 
now  found  related  as  a part  of  the  history  of  Jesus.  A histor- 
ical investigation  of  the  matter  would  have  shown  the  Gospel 
writers  that  they  were  a part  of  the  written  history  of  other 
and  more  ancient  Gods,  and  had  never  formed  a part  of  the 
practical  life  of  Jesus,  or  been  realized  in  his  experience.  This 
is  a more  charitable  and  honorable  explanation  of  the  matter 
than  that  found  in  the  assumption  of  some  other  writers,  that 
every  miracle  was  constructed  for  the  occasion  — that  it  is  a 
sheer  fabrication ; and  yet  there  are  some  plausible  grounds  for 
this  solution  of  the  case. 

These  critical  writers  tell  us  there  was  a religious  persuasion 
deeply  enstamped  upon  the  minds  of  all  religious  countries, 
that  God  often  justified  a departure  from  the  truth — the  con- 
scientious or  veracious  faculty  being  in  that  age  but  feebly 
developed.  And  the  bible  itself  is  full  of  evidence  to  establish 
the  allegation.  The  prophets  often  disclose  it,  and  the  apostles 
were  their  strict  imitators.  Ezekiel  represents  God  as  saying, 
“ If  a prophet  is  deceived,  I the  Lord  deceived  that  prophet.” 
(Ezek.  xiv.  9.)  And  Jeremiah  asks  God,  “ Wilt  thou  be  to  me 
as  a liar?”  (Jer.  xv.  8.)  While  the  writer  of  Kings  rep- 
resents God  as  putting  a lying  spirit  into  the  mouth  of  his  own 
prophets.  (1  Kings  xxii.  28.)  And  most  certainly  if  God  him- 
self might  thus  habitually  depart  from  the  truth,  it  was  an 
ample  warrant  for  his  apostles,  as  well  as  the  prophets,  to  adopt 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , yliVZ)  PRECEPTS . 293 


the  same  expedient.  The  case  of  Paul  lying  for  tue  glory  of 
God,  which  we  have  cited  from  Romans  iii.  4,  proves  they  were 
morally  capable  of  doing  this.  Mosheim  tells  us  that  among 
the  early  Christians,  “it  was  an  almost  universally  adopted 
maxim,  that  it  was  an  act  of  virtue  to  deceive  and  lie,  whei.  by 
so  doing  they  could  promote  the  interest  of  the  church.”  (Mosh- 
vol.  i.  p.  198.)  And  Mr.  Higgins  informs  us  that  “great  num- 
bers, of  every  age  and  of  every  religion,  have  been  guilty  of 
systematic  frauds  and  falsehoods  to  support  their  religions,  to 
an  extent  of  which  we  can  have  no  conception.  They  not  only 
practiced  it,  but  they  reduced  it  to  system.  They  avowed  it, 
and  they  justified  it  by  declaring  it  to  be  meritorious  to  lie  in  a 
good  cause.”  (Ana.  vol.  i.  p.  143.)  The  reader  who  can  hesi- 
tate to  credit  these  statements  only  betrays  his  ignorance  of 
the  moral  weakness  of  human  nature,  and  the  imperfect  growth 
in  that  era  of  the  veracious  faculty,  which  consequently  had  but 
a feeble  voice  in  the  councils  of  the  mind.  Even  the  most  pious 
and  devout  professors  of  religion  did  not  consider  a rigid  con- 
formity to  truth  necessary,  or  morally  obligatory,  in  their  labors 
to  promote  the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  souls.  And 
when  direct  falsehood  was  not  resorted  to,  the  writer  still  al- 
lowed himself  to  color,  magnify,  and  invent  largely;  that  is,  to 
draw  copiously  upon  the  resources  of  his  imagination,  in  the 
way  of  supplying  omissions  and  defects,  and  filling  out  missing 
links  in  the  chain  of  history.  And  hence  it  is  that  all  ancient 
sacred  history  is  so  profusely  inlaid  with  stories  and  statements 
manifestly  fabricated  for  the  occasion,  without  any  historical 
support,  and  therefore  wholly  incredible.  Let  the  Christian 
reader  not,  however,  misapprehend  us  by  supposing  we  wish  to 
drive  him  to  the  extreme  alternative  of  accepting  this  as  the 
true  explanation,  or  as  indicating  the  real  origin  of  the  incred- 
ible stories  and  senseless  miraculous  feats  interwoven  into  the 
Gospel  life  of  Jesus.  We  only  offer  it  as  a plausible,  but  not 
as  the  probable  explanation.  The  above  citations  from  the 
Scriptures  and  other  history  prove  most  clearly  that  sacred 
writers  were  morally  capable  of  fabricating  or  manufacturing 
history  to  supply  assumed  omissions.  And  this  explanation 
is  twofold  more  reasonable  than  to  accept  the  miracles  as  real 


294 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


occurrences,  for  such  a belief  would  be  at  war  with  common 
sense,  and  prostrate  our  reason  beneath  our  feet.  But  there 
is  no  necessity  of  adopting  lying  hypotheses,  while  the  borrow- 
ing theory  is  amply  adequate  to  account  for  every  Gospel  mir- 
acle. There  is  not  a miraculous  story  or  incredible  legend  in- 
corporated in  the  New  Testament  as  a part  of  the  history  of 
Jesus,  that  was  not  afloat  in  some  shape  or  form,  on  the  wings 
of  tradition,  in  nearly  every  religious  country,  ages  before  his 
birth.  The  model  for  each  and  every  miracle  was  already  con- 
structed, was  already  in  the  market,  and  already  a part  of  the 
history  or  tradition  of  other  and  older  Gods.  And  all  that  was 
wanted  to  make  it  appear  as  a part  of  the  history  of  the  Chris- 
tian’s deified  Jesus,  was  to  fill  in  names  and  dates.  Yes,  his- 
tory with  a hundred  tongues  proclaims  it  as  the  real  explana- 
tion of  the  incredible  and  the  impossible  in  the  history  of 
Jesus  Christ.  And  the  evidence  is  so  voluminous  and  so  over- 
whelming to  disprove  the  common  Christian  dogma  which 
makes  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary  a miracle-working  God  (a 
portion  of  which  we  have  presented  under  the  several  propo- 
sitions of  this  chapter),  that  it  really  demolishes  the  last  timber 
in  the  Christian  fabric,  and  leaves  it  a heap  of  ruins.  And  we 
are  certain  that  if  we  could  divest  the  Christian  reader’s  mind, 
for  a few  moments,  of  an  inherited  and  fostered  prejudice,  he 
would  see  that  our  explanation  is  much  more  rational,  more 
probable,  more  beautiful  than  the  popular  belief,  which  degrades 
the  illustrious  Judean  reformer  to  a level  with  the  heathen 
thaumaturgist,  and  gives  him  the  same  undignified  reputation 
as  a miracle-worker. 

But  we  are  sometimes  told  we  are  under  as  much  moral 
obligation  to  believe  in  the  miracles  reported  of  Jesus,  as  to 
believe  in  any  other  portion  of  his  history ; that  we  must  ac- 
cept his  Gospel  history  as  a whole,  or  reject  it  in  toto.  But 
this  is  manifestly  a false  assumption,  and  one  easily  exploded. 
No  person  who  is  acquainted  with  Grecian  history  doubts  that 
Alexander  the  Great  was  born  in  Macedonia,  and  founded  a city 
in  Egypt  bearing  his  own  name.  Yet  not  one  of  those  readers 
will  credit  for  a moment  what  one  of  his  biographers  relates 
pf  him,  that  he  stopped  the  sun  in  its  course,  or  that  he  had 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , ^4iVZ?  PRECEPTS . 295 


no  human  father.  We  all  accept  Pythagoras  as  a real  entity, 
while  we  reject  the  story  of  his  walking  on  the  air.  Are  we 
morally  bound  to  accept  Romulus  and  Remus,  founders  oi 
Rome,  as  mere  fabulous  beings,  because  their  biographers  re- 
late the  incredible  story  of  their  being  suckled  by  a wolf? 
Many  other  illustrations  might  be  given  in  proof  of  the  falsity 
of  the  assumption  that,  because  a portion  of  a man’s  biography 
is  found  to  be  incredible,  the  whole  must  be  rejected  as  false,  as 
unworthy  of  credence.  This  would  be  to  annihilate  history. 
For  no  biography  of  any  person,  and  no  history  of  any  nation, 
can  be  accepted  as  plenarily  pure,  unmixed  truth.  There  is 
always  more  or  less  chaff  with  the  grain,  and  it  is  our  privilege 
and  our  duty  to  separate  them.  And  by  so  doing  we  not  only 
confer  a favor  on  the  cause  of  truth,  but  add  to  the  luster  and 
honor  of  the  name  of  the  deceased  reformer;  and  especially  is 
this  true  of  the  renowned  Judean  philanthropist  and  reformer. 
Much  more  lovely  and  beautiful  would  his  evangelical  history 
stand  before  the  world  if  stripped  of  the  wild,  the  weird,  and 
the  miraculous.  Much  more  interesting  is  he  when  viewed 
and  venerated  as  a man  than  when  worshiped  as  a God,  guilty 
of  the  frequent  violation  of  his  own  laws,  by  the  display  of  the 
miracle-working  power. 

And  much  more  beautiful  and  much  more  rational  is  the  doc- 
trine which  accepts  every  event  that  ever  occurred  as  the  legit- 
imate and  harmonious  operation  of  the  great  machinery  of 
nature,  than  as  the  smart  trick,  the  lawless  caprice  or  wild  feat, 
of  an  arbitrary,  wonder-exciting  God,  performed  not  to  make 
the  people  better,  more  moral  or  more  righteous  (for  miracles 
cannot  do  this),  but  merely  to  make  them  gape  and  stare,  and 
shout,  What  a smart  God  we  have  got ! 

And  then  the  belief  in  miracles  involves  an  utter  repudiation 
of  all  law,  all  order,  and  all  system,  and  introduces  in  their 
stead  chaos,  anarchy,  and  universal  confusion.  It  is  simply 
“ the  doctrine  of  chance,”  which  all  orthodox  Christendom  pro- 
fesses to  deprecate  and  execrate  as  the  quintessence  of  atheism. 
But  they  make  a mistake;  “chance”  is  more  legitimately  the 
fruit  of  miracle  than  of  atheism ; an  assertion  which  we  will 
here  briefly  prove. 


296 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


If  the  sun  may  be  arrested  in  his  course  through  the  heavens, 
“ the  moon  turned  into  blood,”  and  “the  stars  fall  from  heaven,” 
— sticks  turned  into  serpents,  water  into  blood,  and  dust  into 
lice, — all  of  which  orthodox  Christians  profess  to  believe  were 
witnessed  in  the  days  of  Moses  and  Christ,  then  everything  is 
thrown  upon  the  wheel  of  chance;  everything  is  involved  in 
uncertainty.  If  the  course  of  nature  could  be  arrested,  or  the 
natural  qualities  of  objects  changed  by  the  prayer  of  a prophet, 
patriarch,  or  apostle,  then  the  food  set  before  us  to  eat  may 
suddenly,  in  compliance  with  the  prayers  of  some  absent  saint, 
become  a deadly  poison ; the  clothes  we  wear  may  be  instantly 
transformed  into  virulent  adders,  which  may  inflict  the  fatal 
sting  before  we  suspect  it;  some  favorite  servant  of  God  (a 
Moses  or  an  Elijah)  might  be  this  moment  praying  to  God  to 
stop  the  dews  from  falling,  or  the  rain  from  descending  for  the 
next  three  months,  or  three  years,  as  the  latter  is  reported  as 
doing  (see  James  v.  17),  so  that  we  could  not  plant  with  any 
certainty  that  the  seed  would  grow,  or  that  we  should  be  re- 
warded by  a crop.  Such  would  be  the  incertitude,  such  the 
“chance”  against  us  in  everything  in  which  we  might  engage, 
if  it  were  true  that  God  ever  intercepts  the  action  of  his  laws 
by  working  a miracle,  that  we  should  eventually  become  dis- 
couraged by  this  chaos  of  “ chance,”  the  wheels  of  industry 
would  stop,  and  the  car  of  civilization  go  backward.  If  it 
were  true,  as  taught  by  orthodox  Christians,  that  “ God  in  his 
providence,”  or  “ God  in  the  dispensation  of  his  providence,” 
often  “ visits  people  with  sickness,”  then  it  would  be  useless  to 
study  the  laws  of  health  with  a view  of  complying  with  them. 
For  wTe  could  not  know  in  any  case  whether  our  sickness  had 
been  brought  upon  us  by  an  “ overruling  providence,”  or  by 
our  own  imprudence.  Our  incentives  to  study  and  comply 
with  these  laws,  if  there  could  be  any,  would  consequently  be 
very  weak  indeed,  for  we  might  comply  with  every  physiological 
requisition,  and  yet  there  would  be  several  “ chances,”  against 
us  that  to-morrow  we  may  be  stretched  upon  a “sick  bed  and 
rolling  pillow  by  the  visitation  of  God.”  Thus  the  doctrine 
of  miracles  is  shown  to  be  pre-eminently  the  doctrine  of 
“ chance.” 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , yliVX>  PRECEPTS . 297 


The  doctrine  of  miraculous  agency  makes  God  an  imperfect 
being,  by  implying  that  his  laws  were  defective  in  their  original 
construction,  that  by  mistake  he  left  some  emergency  unpro- 
vided for,  and  now  has  to  supply  the  omission  by  an  afterclap 
exercise  of  power.  Or  if  his  laws  were  originally  perfect, 
then  the  working  of  a miracle  would  disturb  them,  and  make 
them  imperfect;  if  originally  imperfect,  then  God  himself  must 
have  been  imperfect,  and  hence  no  God  at  all.  Think  of  a 
wonder-working  God  violating,  suspending,  or  intercepting  his 
own  laws.  Such  a God  would  be  a puerile,  short-sighted  being, 
that  only  ignorant  and  uncultivated  minds  could  admire  and 
adore. 

The  age  of  miracles,  however,  is  gone.  The  belief  in  divine 
prodigies  has  receded  before  the  advancing  genius  of  civiliza- 
tion. It  has  died  away  in  the  exact  ratio  of  the  progress  of 
science  and  general  intelligence.  And  a thorough  acquaint- 
ance with  nature’s  laws  will  banish  the  last  vestige  of  such  a 
belief.  Hence  it  is  that  the  most  illiterate  and  ignorant  nations 
and  tribes  have  always  been  able  to  recount  the  longest  list  of 
miraculous  prodigies  achieved  by  a disorderly  God,  who  seems 
to  have  taken  pleasure  in  violating  his  own  laws,  or  suspending 
them,  for  the  most  trivial  purposes. 

Yes,  the  time  is  approaching  when  the  belief  in  a “ miracu- 
lous interposition”  or  “ special  providences  ” must  pass  away 
under  the  lights  of  science  and  civilization,  and  be  numbered 
amongst  the  things  which  have  been  and  can  be  no  more,  and 
men  will  cherish  more  noble  and  elevated  ideas  of  the  great 
Ruler  of  the  universe,  who  is  infinite  in  order,  infinite  in  wis- 
dom, ay,  infinite  in  all  his  attributes  and  virtues,  ever  un- 
changeably the  same. 

II.  Prophecy,  the  second  Pillar  of  the  Christian 
Faith,  proves  as  much  for  Heathenism  and  Spirit- 
ualism. 

Truthful  prophecy,  attested  to  be  such  by  its  fulfillment,  is 
assumed  to  be  one  of  the  basic  pillars  and  one  of  the  main 
proofs  of  the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion.  But  the  follow- 


298 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


ing  consideration  will  show  that  this  assumption  has  no  logical 
force,  or  real,  tangible  foundation. 

First . Every  ancient  system  of  religion  had  its  prophets  and 
seers,  who  professed  to  be  able  to  foresee  events  of  the  future. 
And  we  find  but  little  difference  in  the  proofs  each  one  has  left 
to  the  world  that  they  possessed  this  power,  if  we  except  the 
Greeks  and  Romans,  some  of  whom  evidently  excelled  all  the 
Jewish  prophets  in  their  ability  to  take  cognizance  of  events 
lying  behind  the  curtain  of  time.  Tacitus,  the  Latin  historian, 
prophesied  the  downfall  of  the  Roman  empire  and  its  attend- 
ant calamities  more  than  five  hundred  years  before  its  occur- 
rence, which  was  fulfilled  to  the  letter.  And  Solon,  one  of  the 
seven  wise  men  of  Greece,  foresaw  and  foretold  a series  of 
calamities  which  befell  the  Athenians  two  hundred  years  before 
they  were  realized.  A still  more  remarkable  example  is  fur- 
nished in  the  history  of  Marcus  Tullius  Cicero,  who,  writing  of 
the  future,  with  his  mind  fixed  on  the  west,  about  50  B.  C., 
exclaimed,  “ There  will  arise  after  many  ages  (if  we  may  credit 
the  Sibylline  oracles),  a hero  who  will  deliver  his  oppressed 
countrymen  from  bondage”  — a prophecy  most  signally  fulfilled 
in  the  life  of  General  Washington.  Many  other  examples  of 
heathen  prophecy  and  their  fulfillment  might  be  cited,  if  we  had 
space  for  them. 

Second.  The  history  of  modern  spiritualism  furnishes  many 
cases  of  future  events  being  predicted  long  before  they  took 
place.  In  fact,  many  of  the  most  important  events  of  modern 
times  which  have  occurred  in  this  and  other  countries,  wer« 
foreseen  and  foretold  by  spiritual  seers  known  as  “ seeing  medi- 
ums,” when  there  was  not  the  slightest  probability  that  such 
events  would  ever  occur.  We  will  cite  one  or  two  cases,  by 
way  of  proof  and  illustration.  A few  years  ago  John  P.  Coles, 
of  New  York,  known  as  a spiritual  medium,  prophesied,  when 
under  spirit  control,  that  Nicholas  of  Russia  would  shortly  have 
a serious  difficulty  with  his  secretary  Menzicoff,  and  just  three 
months  from  that  time  would  die  — a prediction  that  was  ful- 
filled to  the  very  letter  and  to  the  very  hour.  And  yet  there 
was  not  the  slightest  probability,  externally  indicated,  at  the 
time  the  prophecy  was  uttered,  that  either  of  these  events 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , ,4YZ>  PRECEPTS.  209 


would  ever  be  realized.  And  this  prophecy,  let  it  be  noted, 
was  published  in  the  New  York  Times  at  least  two  months 
before  it  was  verified,  thus  proving  that  the  prediction  was  not 
an  “ afterclap  ” affair,  but  preceded  the  event.  Take  another 
example.  The  serious  calamity  which  befell  the  ill-fated  steamer 
known  as  the  Arctic,  which  was  lost  at  sea  a few  years  ago, 
with  all  on  board,  was  prophetically  described  in  minute  detail, 
by  a spirit  medium,  several  months  before  it  occurred ; and 
was  seen  and  described  by  another  medium,  while  taking  place 
more  than  a thousand  miles  distant.  The  proof  is  at  our  com- 
mand. And  the  late  disastrous  war  was  foreseen  and  described 
by  Cora  Tappan,  of  New  York,  and  other  mediums,  and  its 
principal  events  pointed  out  long  before  the  war  broke  out  — 
a fact  which  is  now  a matter  of  history.  These  are  only  a few 
cases  out  of  hundreds  that  might  be  cited  of  a similar  charac- 
ter, drawn  from  the  practical  history  of  modern  spiritualism. 
If,  then,  prophecy  can  do  anything  toward  the  truth  or  divine 
emanation  of  the  Christian  religion,  it  must  do  the  same  for  the 
heathen  and  spiritual  systems.  And  thus  proving  too  much, 
it  proves  nothing  at  all. 

Third . The  Jewish  prophecies  not  fulfilled.  We  have  ex- 
amined critically  the  various  texts  of  the  Christian  bible  called 
prophecies,  and  find  that,  if  claimed  as  predictions  of  future 
events  beyond  the  powers  of  the  natural  mind  to  foresee,  they 
have  all  failed.  But  few  of  them  have  been  fulfilled  in  any 
sense,  and  those  few  required  no  divine  prescience  to  foresee 
the  result.  Many  events  have  transpired  in  every  country, 
which  the  natural  sagacity  of  the  most  observant  minds  in  that 
country  had  anticipated  as  the  result  of  natural  causes,  such  as 
the  ravages  and  downfall  of  cities  and  the  overthrow  of  empires 
by  the  merciless  hand  of  war.  The  Jewish  prophet,  fostering 
a spirit  of  envy  and  enmity  towards  Egypt,  Babylon,  and  other 
superior  kingdoms,  because  they  had  been  overpowered  by 
them  and  long  held  in  subjection  to  their  superior  sway,  were 
always  prophesying  evil  things  of  these  principalities.  And 
though  some  of  the  evils  which  constituted  the  burden  of 
prophecy  might  have  been  reasonably  anticipated  as  natural 
occurrences,  it  is  a signal  fact  they  never  transpired  at  all,— 


800 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


such  as  the  total  destruction  of  Babylon,  Tyre,  Damascus,  and 
other  cities  belonging  to  those  hostile  kingdoms  the  Jews  so 
much  envied  and  execrated.  Look,  for  proof,  at  the  case  of 
Damascus.  The  prophets  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  and  Ezekiel,  all 
poured  out  their  fulminatory  thunders  upon  this  city.  Isaiah 
declared  it  should  be  a “ ruinous  heap.”  (Isa.  xvii.  1.)  And 
Jeremiah  predicted  its  destruction  by  fire.  (Jer.  xlix.  27.)  And 
yet,  notwithstanding  these  predictions  of  ruin,  Damascus  still 
stands  as  u one  of  the  paradises  of  the  earth,”  as  one  writer 
styles  it,  with  a population,  according  to  Burckhardt,  of  not  less 
than  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  being  one  of  the  most 
magnificent  and  prosperous  commercial  cities  on  the  globa 
Instead  of  being  blotted  out  of  existence,  as  the  Jewish  proph- 
ets prayed  and  predicted,  it  has  suffered  less  by  the  ravages  of 
war  and  the  scythe  of  time  than  almost  any  other  city  of  the 
east.  It  has  stood  nearly  three  thousand  years  without  becom- 
ing a “ ruinous  heap,”  or  being  consumed  by  fire  or  destroyed 
by  war.  (Jer.  xlix.  26.)  And  the  prophecy  against  Tyre  has 
most  signally  failed  also.  Ezekiel  declared  it  should  be  de- 
stroyed by  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  never  be  found  again.  (Ezek. 
xxvi.-xxix.)  But  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  after  Nebuchad- 
nezzar’s time  Alexander  found  it  a strong  commercial  city.  And 
it  still  contains  a population  of  five  thousand  or  more.  St.  Je- 
rome, of  the  fourth  century,  declared  it  to  be  then  the  finest 
city  of  Phoenicia,  and  was  astonished  that  Ezekiel’s  prophecy 
had  so  utterly  failed. 

And  Isaiah’s  famous  prediction  against  Babylon  furnishes 
another  proof  of  the  utter  failure  of  Jewish  prophecy.  He  de- 
clared, after  predicting  its  destruction,  “It  shall  never  be  in- 
habited, neither  shall  it  be  dwelt  in  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion, neither  shall  the  Arabian  pitch  tent  there.”  (Isa.  xiii.  20.) 
Of  course  he  desired  it  should  be  so.  But,  unfortunately  for 
his  credit  as  a prophet,  it  never  suffered  such  a calamity.  On 
the  contrary,  according  to  Layard  and  Rawlinson,  British  com- 
missioners who  recently  visited  the  place,  it  now  presents  “all 
the  activity  of  a hive  of  bees  ” (to  use  Layard’s  language), 
and  contains  several  thousand  inhabitants,  though  its  name 
is,  since  rebuilt,  called  Hillah.  And  thus  the  prophecy  is 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , ^4iVZ>  PRECEPTS.  301 


falsified.  “ No,”  exclaims  a good  Christian  brother,  in  forlorn 
hope,  it  may  be  fulfilled  yet.  But  if  he  will  examine  the  lan- 
guage of  the  prophecy,  he  will  find  he  is  entirely  cut  off  from 
this  “ saving  clause.”  The  prophet  says,  “ Her  time  is  near  to 
come,  and  her  days  shall  not  be  prolonged.”  (Isa.  xiii.  22.) 
Thus  il  is  evident  the  prophecy  was  to  be  fulfilled  in  that  age 
and  generation.  The  failure,  then,  is  absolute  and  indisputable- 
And  these  are  but  mere  samples  of  the  complete  failure  of  every 
text  called  a prophecy,  when  applied  to  the  prognostication  of 
future  events.  Numerous  texts  can  be  found  in  the  prophets 
auguring  evil  for  Egypt,  which  have  made  no  approximation 
toward  fulfillment.  Ezekiel  prophesied  “the  fall  of  Egypt,” 
“the  desolation  of  Egypt,”  “the  destruction  of  Egypt,”  &c., 
not  one  of  which  calamities  has  ever  been  realized  in  her  expe- 
rience. Prophecies  respecting  the  restoration  of  the  lost  tribes 
and  the  perpetuity  of  the  Israelitish  throne  are  complete  fail- 
ures ; also  all  “ the  Messianic  prophecies,”  so  called.  (See  Chap. 
II.)  With  respect  to  the  prophecy  on  Babylon,  it  may  be  fur- 
ther observed  that  while  the  prophet  declares,  “Neither  shall 
the  Arabian  pitch  tent  there”  (Isa.  xiii.  22),  Layard  declares 
that  is  the  very  thing  they  did  do  while  he  was  there.  He 
says  he  saw  a number  of  Arabian  tents  pitched  on  the  ground  ; 
thus  proving  a failure  of  the  prophecy  all  round  in  every  par- 
ticular. (See  note  page  379.) 

Fourth . The  bible  itself  is  a witness  that  truthful  prophecy 
can  do  nothing  toward  authenticating  a religion,  or  toward 
proving  the  prophet  divinely  inspired.  The  same  damaging 
concession  is  made  here  as  in  the  case  of  miracles,  that  a hea- 
then and  an  unbeliever  could  and  did  succeed  as  well  as  the  true 
disciples  of  the  faith.  The  proof  of  this  statement  is  found  in 
the  history  of  Balaam.  His  figurative  representation  of  a star 
coming  out  of  Jacob  and  a scepter  out  of  Judah  (see  Numb, 
chap,  xxiv.)  is  often  quoted  by  Christian  writers  as  presaging 
or  prefiguring  the  coming  of  Christ,  — thus  making  a heathen 
and  an  unbeliever  the  oracle  of  a Messianic  prophecy,  and  a 
heathen,  too,  of  sinful  and  ungodly  habits.  So  that  the  Chris- 
tian subterfuge  is  not  available  here,  that  “ God  might  make  a 
righteous  man  of  any  nation  the  vehicle  of  prophecy.”  For  we 


SC  2 THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 

have  the  express  declaration  of  the  bible  itself  that  he  was  not 
a righteous  man,  but  the  very  reverse . Peter  tells  us,  “ He 
loved  the  wages  of  unrighteousness,”  at  the  very  time  this 
prophecy  so  called  was  uttered  (see  2 Peter  ii.  13),  which  pros- 
trates forever  the  Christian  plea  that  “ he  might  have  possessed 
the  true  spirit  of  prophecy  by  virtue  of  being  a righteous  man,” 
and  drives  us  to  the  admission  that  an  unconverted  savage  and 
ungodly  heathen  unbeliever  could  make  a true  prophecy.  It 
not  being  necessary,  then,  to  be  a Jew,  or  a Christian,  or  a be- 
liever, or  even  a moral  man,  to  foresee  or  foretell  the  far-off 
important  events  of  the  future,  the  argument  falls  forever  to  the 
ground  that  the  fulfillment  of  the  Jewish  prophecies,  if  admit- 
ted to  have  been  fulfilled,  could  do  anything  toward  proving 
the  truth  or  divine  acceptance  of  the  religion  of  the  bible,  or 
its  superiority  over  any  heathen  or  oriental  religion  then  or 
subsequently  known  to  history,  as  they  all  present  the  same 
evidence  of  being  endowed  with  the  true  spirit  of  prophecy. 
All  argument  for  Christianity  based  on  the  prophecies,  or  “the 
gift  of  prophecy,”  is,  then,  forever  at  an  end,  as  it  has  been 
shown  that  the  power  to  foretell  future  events  is  not  restricted 
by  the  bible  itself  to  any  nation,  to  any  religion,  to  any  faith,  to 
any  belief,  or  to  any  moral  or  religious  qualification.  What, 
then,  is  prophecy  worth,  or  what  does  it  prove  ? Another  case, 
and  one  similar  to  that  of  Balaam  in  its  essential  points,  is 
found  in  the  New  Testament.  Caiaphas,  though  not  claiming 
to  be  any  part  of  a believer,  utters  a prophecy  in  the  interest 
of  the  Christian  religion  for  which  the  bible  itself  gives  him 
full  credit  as  a prophet.  Here,  then,  is  another  case  of  a heathen 
stealing  the  Christian’s  thunder,  and  another  proof  that  the 
spirit  of  true  prophecy  has  never  been  confined  to  any  nation 
or  any  religion  ; and  hence,  according  to  the  teachings  of  the 
bible  itself,  does  nothing  at  all  toward  establishing  the  exalted 
claims  of  Christianity,  or  toward  proving  its  superiority  over 
other  systems  of  religion. 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , /liVX>  IRECEPTS.  805 


III.  Moral  Precepts  the  third  Pillar  of  the  Chris- 
tian Faith. 

It  is  declared,  in  view  of  the  many  wise  precepts  which  is- 
sued from  the  mouth  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  “ he  spake  as  never 
man  spake.”  (John  vii.  46.)  If  this  were  true,  then  Gods 
must  have  been  very  numerous  prior  to  the  Christian  era.  For 
there  is  not  one  of  the  moral  maxims  or  preceptive  commands 
which  he  gave  utterance  to  that  cannot  be  found  literally  or 
substantially  in  the  older  bibles  of  other  nations,  or  the  writings 
of  the  Greek  philosophers,  and  the  religious  dissertations  of 
heathen  moralists,  who  gave  out  moral  and  religious  lessons  for 
the  instruction  of  the  world  long  prior  to  the  birth  of  Christ. 
Even  the  Golden  Rule,  which  Christian  writers,  ignorant  of  ori- 
ental history,  have  erroneously  ascribed  to  Jesus  Christ,  .and 
lauded  him  as  being  the  author  of,  is  found  variously  expressed 
in  the  writings  of  several  heathen  or  oriental  nations.  We 
find  it  in  the  Chinese  bible,  at  least  five  hundred  years  older 
than  ours,  almost  word  for  word  as  Jesus  uttered  it.  We  will 
here  present  it  as  expressed  by  different  writers. 

1.  Golden  Rule  by  Confucius , 500  B.  C. 

“Do  unto  another  what  you  would  have  him  do  unto  you,  and 
do  not  to  another  what  you  would  not  have  him  do  unto  you. 
Thou  needest  this  law  alone.  It  is  the  foundation  of  all  the 
rest.” 

2.  Golden  Rule  by  Aristotle , 885  B.  C. 

“We  should  conduct  ourselves  toward  others  as  we  would 
have  them  act  toward  us.” 

3.  Golden  Rule  by  Pittacus , 650  B.  C. 

“ Do  not  to  your  neighbor  what  you  would  take  ill  from  him.” 

4.  Golden  Rule  by  Thales , 464  B.  G. 

“ Avoid  doing  what  you  would  blame  others  for  doing/' 

5.  Golden  Ride  by  Isocrates , 388  B.  C 

“Act  toward  others  as  you  desire  them  to  act  toward  you.” 


304 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


6.  Golden  Rule  by  Aristippus , 365  B . C. 

“ Cherish  reciprocal  benevolence,  which  will  make  you  as 
anxious  for  another’s  welfare  as  your  own.” 

7.  Golden  Rule  by  Sextus , a Pythagorean,  406  B.  C. 

“ What  you  wish  your  neighbors  to  be  to  you,  such  be  also 
to  them.” 

8.  Golden  Rule  by  HUM,  50  B.  C. 

“Do  not  to  others  what  you  would  not  like  others  to  do  to 
you.” 

Here  is  the  Golden  Rule  proclaimed  by  seven  heathen  moral- 
ists and  a Jew  long  before  it  was  republished  by  the  founder 
of  Christianity ; thus  proving  it  to  be  of  heathen  origin,  and 
proving  that  it  does  not  transcend  the  natural  capacity  of  the 
human  brain  to  originate,  and  hence  needs  no  God  to  reveal  it. 
Indeed,  it  is  one  of  the  most  natural  sentiments  of  the  human 
mind.  “ Would  I like  to  be  treated  thus  ? ” is  the  first  thought 
which  naturally  arises  in  the  mind  of  a person  when  maltreat- 
ing a neighbor ; thus  showing  that  the  Golden  Rule  is  a spon- 
taneous utterance  of  the  moral  feelings  of  the  human  mind. 

Love  and  hind  Treatment  of  Enemies. 

Love  to  enemies  is  considered  to  be  another  praiseworthy 
precept,  which  Christ  has  erroneously  the  credit  of  being  the 
author  of.  We  have  heard  the  declaration  made  in  the  Chris- 
tian pulpit,  that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  first  moral  teacher  who 
inculcated  love  to  enemies;  a most  transcendent  error,  as  the 
following  historical  citations  will  show.  Most  of  the  religious 
books  and  religious  teachers  of  the  ancient  oriental  heathen 
breathe  forth  a spirit  of  love  and  kindness  toward  enemies. 

The  following  is  from  the  old  Persian  bible,  the  Sadder : — 

1.  “ Forgive  thy  foes,  nor  that  alone  ; 

Their  evil  deeds  with  good  repay ; 

Fill  those  with  joy  who  leave  thee  none, 

And  kiss  the  hand  upraised  to  slay.” 

The  Christian  bible  would  be  searched  in  vain  to  find  a moral 
sentiment  or  precept  superior  to  this.  Certainly  it  is  the  lofti- 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , .4AZ?  PRECEPTS.  305 


est  sentiment  of  kindness  toward  enemies  that  ever  issued  from 
human  lips,  or  was  ever  penned  by  mortal  man.  And  yet  it  is 
found  in  an  old  heathen  bible.  Think  of  “ kissing  the  hand 
upraised  to  slay.”  Never  was  love,  and  kindness,  and  forbear- 
ance toward  enemies  more  sublimely  expressed  than  in  the  old 
Persian  ballad. 

2.  “ Treat  thine  enemy  as  though  a friend,  and  he  will  be- 
come thy  friend,”  was  expressed  by  Publius  Syrus,  a Roman 
slave,  which  is  a wiser  admonition  than  that  of  Christ,  “ Love 
thine  enemy,”  as  it  is  a moral  impossibility. 

3.  “ All  nature  cries  aloud,  Shall  man  do  less 

Than  heal  the  smiter,  and  the  railer  bless  ? ” 

(Hafiz,  a Mahomedan.) 

4.  “ Bridle  thine  anger,  and  forgive  thine  enemy ; give  unto 
him  who  takes  from  thee.”  (Koran,  Mahomedan  bible.) 

5.  “ Let  no  man  be  offended  with  those  who  are  angry  at 
him,  but  reply  gently  to  those  who  curse  him  ” (Code  of 
Menu.) 

6.  “ Let  him  endure  injuries,  and  despise  no  one.”  (Ibid.) 

7.  “ Commit  no  hostile  action  for  your  own  preservation.” 
(Ibid.) 

8.  “ To  be  revenged  on  enemies,  become  more  virtuous.” 
(Diogenes.) 

9.  “ To  strike  a man,  or  vex  him  with  words,  is  a sin.”  (Zend- 
Avesta,  Persian  bible.) 

10.  “ Even  the  intention  to  strike  is  a sin.”  (Ibid.) 

11.  “Desire  not  tfie  death  of  thine  enemy.”  (Confucius.) 

12.  “Acknowledge  benefits,  but  never  revenge  injuries. 
(Ibid.) 

13.  “We  may  dislike  an  enemy  without  desiring  revenge.” 
(Ibid.) 

14.  “ Pardon  the  offenses  of  others,  but  never  your  own  ” 
(Publius  Syrus.) 

15.  “ The  noble  spirit  cures  injustice  by  forgiving  it.”  (Ibid.) 

16.  “ It  is  much  better  to  be  injured  than  to  kill  a man.” 
(Pythagoras.) 

17.  “You  can  accomplish  by  kindness  what  you  cannot  by 
force.”  (Publius  Syrus.) 

20 


306 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


18.  “ Better  overlook  an  injury  than  avenge  it.”  (Publius 
Syrus.) 

19.  “It  is  enough  to  think  ill  of  an  enemy  without  avenging 
it.”  (Publius  Syrus.) 

20.  “ It  is  a kingly  spirit  to  return  good  deeds  for  evil  ones.” 
(Ibid.) 

21.  “Learn  from  yon  orient  shell  to  love  thy  foe, 

And  store  with  pearls  the  hand  that  brings  thee  woe ; 

Flee,  like  yon  rock,  from  base,  vindictive  pride, 

Emblaze  with  gems  the  wrist  that  rends  thy  side.” 

(Hafiz.) 

22.  “ To  revenge  yourself  on  an  enemy,  make  him  your 
friend.”  (Pythagoras.) 

23.  “ It  is  not  permitted  to  a man  who  has  received  an  injury 
to  revenge  it  by  doing  another.”  (Socrates,  in  his  Crito.) 

24.  “ Seek  him  who  turns  thee  out,  and  pardon  him  who 
injures  thee.”  (Koran.) 

25.  “ Return  not  evil  for  evil.”  (Socrates.) 

26.  “Endure  all  things  if  you  would  serve  God.”  (Sextus.) 

27.  “Desire  to  be  able  to  benefit  your  enemies.”  (Ibid.) 

28.  “Receive  an  injury  rather  than  do  one.”  (Publius  Syrus.) 

29.  “ Be  at  war  with  men’s  vices,  but  at  peace  with  their 
persons.”  (Ibid.) 

30.  “ Cultivate  friendship  for  an  enemy.”  (Pittacus.) 

31.  “Be  kind  to  your  friends  that  they  may  continue  so,  and 
to  your  enemies  that  they  may  become  so.”  (Ibid.) 

32.  “Prevent  injuries  if  possible;  if  not,  do  not  revenge 
them.”  (Ibid.) 

33.  “An  enemy  should  not  be  hated,  but  cured.”  (Seneca.) 

34.  “ To  act  unkindly  toward  an  enemy  will  increase  his 
hate.”  (Antonius.) 

35.  “ Be  to  everybody  kind  and  friendly.”  (Ibid.) 

36.  “ Speak  evil  of  no  one,  not  even  your  enemies.”  (Pit- 
tacus.) 

Thus  it  will  be  observed  that  love  and  kindness  toward  all 
mankind,  both  friends  and  enemies,  is  not  confined  to  the  teach- 
ings of  Christ  or  to  the  Christian  religion,  as  many  have  erro- 
neously supposed,  but  is  unquestionably  a natural  sentiment 


MIRACLES , PROPHECIES , PRECEPTS.  £07 


of  the  moral  instinct  or  moral  impulses  of  the  human  mind, 
and  hence  is  no  proof  that  their  teacher  is  either  a God  or  di 
vinely  inspired. 

And  we  have  in  our  possession  nearly  eight  hundred  more 
precepts  (see  vol.  ii.)  from  the  pens  or  mouths  of  the  ancient 
heathen,  enjoining  just  and  kind  treatment  of  women,  and  set- 
ting forth  nearly  all  the  duties  of  life,  and  teaching  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul,  &c.  And  these  precepts  breathe  the  same 
lofty  moral  sentiment  and  moral  feeling  as  those  quoted  above. 
How  ignorant  and  how  conceited  must  be  the  Christian  profes- 
sor who  supposes  all  goodness  is  confined  to  Christianity,  or  that 
it  even  possesses  any  great  superiority  over  other  religious  sys- 
tems! And  how  completely  the  three  foregoing  parts  of  this 
chapter,  “ Miracles,”  “ Prophecies,”  and  “ Precepts,”  prostrate 
the  divine  claims  of  Christianity,  and  leave  not  an  inch  of  ground 
for  them  to  rest  upon! 


808 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


ta 

CHAPTER  XXXY. 

LOGICAL  OR  COMMON  SENSE  VIEW  OF  THE 
DOCTRINE  OF  DIVINE  INCARNATION. 

The  incarnation  of  an  infinite  God  is  a shocking  absurdity,  and 
an  infinite  impossibility . We  ask  in  all  solemn  earnestness, 
and  in  the  name  of  the  intuitive  monitions  of  an  unshackled 
reason  and  an  unbiased  conscience,  can  any  man  in  his  sober 
senses,  who  has  been  in  the  habit  of  reflecting  before  he  be- 
lieves, entertain  for  a moment  the  monstrous  absurdity  that 
the  Almighty  and  Infinite  Maker  of  the  universe  was  once  re- 
duced to  a little  wailing  infant,  lying  in  senseless  and  helpless 
weakness  on  the  lap  of  its  mother,  unable  to  walk  a step,  or 
lisp  a word,  or  do  aught  but  cry  with  pain  or  for  the  nourish- 
ment stored  in  the  mother’s  breast  ? What ! Almighty  God 
fallen  from  his  burnished,  dazzling  throne  in  the  lofty  heavens, 
and  reduced  to  helpless,  senseless  babyhood!  Omnipotence 
shorn  of  all  power  but  to  breathe,  and  cry,  and  smile ! What ! 
that  Omniscient  Being,  who  “leads  one  world  by  day,  and  ten 
thousand  more  by  night,”  becoming  suddenly  transformed  into 
a human  bantling,  which  knows  no  higher  enjoyment  than  that 
of  being  “ pleased  with  a rattle,  and  tickled  with  a straw ! ” 
Who  can  believe  it?  Ay,  who  dare  believe  it,  if  he  would 
escape  the  charge  of  blasphemy?  Then  say  not  that  “the 
man  Christ  Jesus,”  though  standing  at  the  top  of  the  ladder  of 
moral  manhood,  and  high  above  the  common  plane  of  humanity, 
was  yet  a God  — “the  Infinite  Ruler  of  the  infinite  universe.” 
Who  can  believe  that  that  Being,  whose  existence  stretches 
to  an  eternity  beyond  human  conception,  yea,  whom  “the 
heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain,”  was  ever  cooped  up  in  a 
human  body,  reduced  so  near  to  nothing  in  dimensions  as  to 


DIVINE  INCARNATION 


309 


be  susceptible  (as  was  Jesus)  of  being  weighed  in  scales,  and 
measured  with  a yardstick  ? 

We  ask  again,  Who,  from  the  deepest  depths  of  his  inmost, 
enlightened  consciousness,  can  believe  such  revolting,  such 
atheistical  doctrine  as  this  ? Or  who  will  venture  to  descend 
still  lower,  and  conceive  of  an  Almighty,  Omnipresent  Being, 
who  fills  all  space  above,  around,  and  beneath,  “ from  infinity 
below  to  yon  fixed  star  above,”  and  millions  upon  millions  of 
miles  beyond  it,  sinking  and  dwindling  to  that  mere  mite, 
speck,  or  monad  state  and  condition  comprehended  in  the  initi- 
atory step  to  embryonic  existence?  And  then  think  of  the 
Almighty,  Omnipotent  Creator  of  the  universe  lying  in  a man- 
ger with  four-footed  beasts  and  creeping  things,  sleeping  with 
oxen  and  asses  in  a stable.  Next  he  is  seen  an  urchin  on  the 
street  playing  with  marbles  and  jack-knives,  absorbed  and  for- 
getful of  the  world  around  him.  Who  can  believe  that  awfully 
majestic  Being,  who  is  represented  by  his  own  inspired  book  as 
being  so  transcendently  grand  and  awe-inspiring  that  “ no  man 
can  see  him  and  live”  (Ex.  xxxiii.  20),  was  not  only  daily 
seen  by  hundreds  and  thousands,  but  was  on  such  familiar 
terms  with  men,  that  they  regarded  him  as  their  companion, 
and  equal,  and  even  sometimes  coolly  reprimanded  him  for 
supposed  misdemeanors  and  errors?  Could  they  believe  this 
to  be  Almighty  God?  Impossible!  Impossible!  And  then 
who  can  believe  that  that  infinite  Being,  whom  we  have  been 
taught  to  regard  as  absolutely  and  eternally  unchangeable, 
could  become  subject  to  hunger  and  thirst  (as  did  Jesus)  ? 
Or  who  can  believe  that  the  eternally  and  unceasingly  watchful 
Omnipotent  Deity,  whose  eye,  we  are  told,  “ never  slumbers,” 
could  sink  into  unconscious  sleep,  become  “ to  dumb  forgetful- 
ness a prey,”  night  after  night,  for  thirty  years,  oblivious,  and 
unconscious  of  the  world  around  him?  Think  of  a being  of 
incomprehensible  majesty,  dignity,  and  power,  able  to  “shake 
the  heavens  and  the  earth  also,”  being  unable  to  protect  him- 
self from  insult,  and  was  therefore  derided  and  “ spit  upon,” 
and  finally  overcome  by  his  enemies,  as  is  related  of  Jesus. 
Can  any  man  believe,  who  has  not  made  shipwreck  of  his  senses, 
or  banished  Reason  from  her  courts,  that  God  Almighty,  who 


310 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


comprehends  in  himself  the  most  absolute  and  boundless  per- 
fection of  goodness  and  wisdom,  was  tempted  by  demons,  devils, 
and  crawling  serpents  ? Who  can  believe  that  the  Lord,  who 
owns  “the  cattle  upon  a thousand  hills”  (Psalm  1.  10),  and  the 
countless  host  of  worlds  besides,  that  wheel  their  course  through 
infinite  space,  had  not  “where  to  lay  his  head  ”?  Who  can  be- 
lieve that  that  was  the  all-wise,  omnipotent,  and  omnipresent 
God,  possessing  all  power  in  heaven  above  and  the  earth  be- 
neath, who  was  betrayed  by  weak,  finite  mortals  ? What ! the 
Almighty  Creator  betrayed  by  a puny  being  of  his  own  creation 
into  the  hands  of  his  disobedient  and  rebellious  children  ? Why 
could  he  not,  if  possessing  “ power  to  lay  down  his  life,  and 
take  it  up  again”  (John  x.  17),  cause  that  all  these  children  of 
his  (as  we  must  assume  they  were,  if  he  was  Almighty  God, 
and  hence  Father  of  all)  should  love  him,  instead  of  hating 
him  ? Can  any  man  believe  that  Jesus  was  possessed  with 
omnipotent  power  while  standing  to  be  whipped  (scourged) 
by  Pontius  Pilate,  or  that  he  possessed  a power  above  that  of 
finite  mortals  while  in  the  act  of  praying,  with  such  extreme 
ardor  that  the  sweat  dropped  from  his  face,  that  the  cup  of 
death  might  pass  from  his  lips,  or  while  calling  for  an  angel  to 
support  him  in  the  hour  of  his  mortal  dissolution?  or  that  He, 
“ by  whom  all  things  exist,”  could  cease  himself  to  exist,  by 
dying  upon  the  cross  between  malefactors?  Think  of  this, 
reader ! and  think  of  the  eternal  Creator,  the  infinite  Deity, 
the  omnipotent  Jehovah,  the  Maker  of  worlds  as  numberless 
as  the  sands  upon  the  sea-shore  for  multitude,  fainting,  bleed- 
ing, dying,  and  pouring  out  his  own  blood  to  appease  his  own 
wrath  ; dying  an  ignominious  death  to  satisfy  an  implacable  re- 
venge ! Away  with  such  insulting  mockery,  such  blasphemous 
flummery!  It  can  only  find  place  in  the  dark  chambers  of  an 
unenlightened  mind. 

Well  has  Watts  said  of  Locke’s  skepticism,  — 

“Reason  could  scarcely  sustain  to  see, 

Or  bear  the  infant  Deity  : 

A ransomed  world,  a bleeding  God, 

And  heaven  appeased  by  flowing  blood, 

Were  themes  too  painful  to  be  understood.” 


DIVINE  INCARNATION . 


311 


Yes,  and  too  painful  to  be  believed,  too,  Mr.  Watts!  Hero 
we  have  a “bleeding  God,5’  an  “infant  Deity,”  and  a vengeful 
God,  appeased  by  murder  and  streams  of  “ flowing  blood  ” 
Gracious  heavens  ! Whose  reason  does  not  revolt  at  such  a 
picture  ? Whose  soul  does  not  sicken  at  the  thought,  and 
who  would  not  prefer,  infinitely  prefer,  to  sink  to  annihilation, 
if  not  to  perdition  itself,  to  being  thus  saved  by  navigating  a 
river  of  blood  ? Dr.  South  hits  off  some  of  the  absurdities  in- 
volved in  the  Christian  doctrine  of  the  incarnation  so  forcibly 
and  so  lucidly,  that  we  cannot  resist  the  temptation  to  subjoin 
hereafew  extracts  from  his  sermon  on  the  subject.  “But  now,” 
says  this  Christian  clergyman,  “ was  there  ever  any  wonder 
comparable  to  this,  to  behold  the  Lord  (Jesus  Christ)  thus 
clothed  in  flesh,  the  Creator  of  all  things,  humbled,  not  only  to 
the  company,  but  also  to  the  cognation,  of  his  creatures  ? It 
is  as  if  one  should  imagine  the  whole  world  not  only  represent- 
ed upon,  but  also  contained  in,  one  of  our  own  artificial  globes, 
or  the  body  of  the  sun  enveloped  in  a cloud  as  big  as  a man’s 
hand,  all  of  which  would  be  looked  upon  as  astonishing  impos- 
sibilities, and  yet  is  as  short  of  the  other  as  the  finite  is  of  the 
infinite,  between  which  the  disparity  is  immeasurable.  It  is, 
as  it  were,  to  cancel  the  essential  distances  of  things,  to  remove 
the  bounds  of  nature,  to  bring  heaven  and  earth,  and  what  is 
more,  both  ends  of  the  contradiction,  together.  Men  cannot 
persuade  themselves  that  a Deity  and  infinity  should  lie  within 
so  narrow  a compass  as  the  dimensions  of  a human  body ; 
that  omnipotence,  omniscience,  and  omnipresence  should  ever 
be  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  and  debased  to  the  homely 
usages  of  a stable  and  a manger;  that  the  glorious  Artificer  of 
the  whole  universe,  who  spread  out  the  heaven  like  a curtain, 
and  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth,  could  ever  turn  carpenter, 
and  exercise  an  inglorious  trade  in  a little  cell.  They  cannot 
imagine  that  He  who  once  created  and  at  present  governs  the 
world,  and  shall  hereafter  judge  the  world,  should  be  abased  in 
all  his  concerns  and  relations,  be  scourged,  spit  upon,  mocked, 
and  at  last  crucified.  All  which  are  passages  which  lie  ex- 
tremely close  to  the  notions  or  conceptions  which  reason  has 
made  to  itself  of  that  high  and  impossible  perfection  that 


312 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


resided  in  the  divine  Creator.”  (Sermon,  1665.)  Dr.  South, 
it  will  be  observed,  admits  that  the  doctrine  of  the  divine 
incarnation  involves  many  palpable  absurdities  and  contradic- 
tions, and  lies  directly  across  the  path  of  reason.  Fatal  admis- 
sion to  the  doctrine  of  the  deityship  of  Christ,  but  true,  as  his 
own  elucidation  of  the  subject  demonstrates.  To  the  author, 
since  he  first  subjected  the  question  to  a logical  scrutiny,  and 
looked  at  it  with  an  unbiased  mind,  it  presents  difficulties  in- 
surmountable, and  absurdities  innumerable.  He  can  imagine 
nothing  more  transcendently  shocking,  revolting,  and  dwarfing 
to  the  mind,  both  morally  and  intellectually,  than  the  thought 
of  believing  that  a being  born  of  and  suckled  by  a woman,  and 
possessing  the  mere  form  and  dimensions  of  a man,  can  be  re- 
garded as  the  great  Almighty  and  Omnipotent  God,  the  Creator 
of  unnumbered  worlds,  millions  of  which  are  larger  than  this 
planet,  on  which  Jesus  was  born. 

And  then,  reader,  look  for  a moment  at  some  of  the  many 
childish  incongruities  and  logical  difficulties  this  giant  absurdity 
drags  with  it.  It  represents  Almighty  God  as  coming  into  the 
world  through  the  hands  of  a midwife,  as  passing  through  the 
process  of  gestation  and  parturition.  It  insults  our  reason 
with  the  idea  that  the  great,  infinite  Jehovah  could  be  molded 
into  the  human  form  — a thought  that  is  shocking  to  the  moral 
sense,  and  withering,  cramping,  and  dwarfing  to  the  intellect- 
ual mind,  imposing  upon  it  a heavy  drag-chain  which  checks 
its  expansion,  and  forbids  its  onward  progress.  Christians  tell 
us  that  the  human  and  the  divine  were  united  in  “ the  man 
Christ  Jesus.”  But  this  is  a monstrous  absurdity,  which  no 
truly  rational  and  unbiased  mind  can  accept  for  an  instant  — 
that  of  hitching,  splicing,  tying,  or  dovetailing  together  finite 
man  with  the  infinite  Jehovah,  that  of  amalgamating  and  com- 
mingling human  foibles  with  divine  perfection.  Think  of 
wedding  mortal  weakness  to  omnipotent  power,  local  man  with 
the  omnipresent  Deity!  Think  of  compounding  the  creature 
and  the  Creator  in  one  and  the  same  being ! Think  of  the 
omnipresent  “ I AM,”  whose  illimitable  existence  stretches 
far  away  throughout  the  expansive  arena  of  a boundless  uni- 
verse, occupying  a dwelling  within  the  narrow  confines  of  tho 


DIVINE  INCARNATION . 


313 


human  temple  ! As  well  essay  to  crowd  the  universe  into  your 
pocket,  or  the  Himalayas  Mountains  into  a thimble.  On  the 
other  hand,  think  of  a small  compound  of  flesh,  blood,  and  bones, 
a few  feet  in  dimensions,  and  weighing  perhaps  not  more  than 
one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  avoirdupois,  containing  that 
infinite,  omnipresent  Being,  whom,  we  are  told  (we  repeat  the 
quotation),  “ the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain”!  And 
more  than  all,  kind  reader,  I ask  you  if  you  can  accept  for  a 
moment,  without  the  immolation  of  your  common  sense,  and 
the  trampling  of  your  reason  beneath  your  feet,  the  monstrous 
thought  that  that  mighty  and  almighty  Architect  who  created 
the  countless  myriads  upon  myriads  of  ponderous  worlds,  which 
now  roll  in  majestic  order  and  eternal  rotation  along  the  great 
cerulean  causeway  of  heaven,  that  mighty  Architect  who,  from 
time  beyond  human  computation,  has  been  rolling  out  orb  after 
orb,  world  after  world,  if  not  myriads  at  a time,  ten  thousand 
times,  ten  thousand  of  which  would  dwindle  our  little  pygmy, 
Lilliputian  planet  into  insignificance,  if  compared  with  it  in  size. 

I ask,  and  drive  home  the  query  to  your  inward  conscious- 
ness, and  the  inmost  temples  of  your  sacred  reason,  Can  you 
believe,  after  a moment’s  reflection,  that  a Being  who  is  too 
vast,  infinitely  too  vast  in  power  and  ubiquity  to  be  grasped  by 
the  human  understanding,  did  become  (as  did  the  finite  and 
humble  Jesus)  a helpless,  senseless,  unconscious,  human  infant; 
a suckling,  crying,  squalling  babe,  powerless  of  speech,  and  un- 
able to  walk?  Ay,  worse,  more  startling  still,  we  are  shocked 
with  the  thought  that  this  mighty  World-builder,  this  infi- 
nite, omnipotent  Creator,  was  reduced  so  near  to  the  verge  of 
nonenity,  so  near  to  the  last  glimmering  spark  or  speck  of  ex- 
istence, and  the  world  so  near  without  a God,  as  to  become  an 
inanimate  foetus — a monad  in  the  matrix  of  a human  virgin? 
Shocking  the  thought!  Blasphemous  the  doctrine!  Believe 
it  who  will;  believe  it  who  can  ! We  cannot;  we  would  not; 
we  are  infinitely  beyond  it.  Such  a belief  may  be  deposited 
by  educational  tradition  in  the  affections,  but  to  enter  the  tem- 
ple of  Reason,  it  never  did,  it  never  can.  She  never  unbarred 
her  doors  to  admit  such  monstrous,  such  enormous  incongrui- 
ties. And  all  these  logical  absurdities,  and  a thousand  more, 


814 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


grow  legitimately  out  of  the  doctrine  of  the  divine  incarnation, 
— out  of  the  postulate  which  would  (following  in  the  line  of  the 
pagan  superstitions)  elevate  the  finite,  humble,  mortal  Jesus  to 
the  throne  of  heaven,  the  exclusive  prerogative  of  Almighty 
God.  Come  away,  my  Christian  friends,  from  such  disparaging, 
such  dishonorable  views  of  the  Deity,  such  blasphemous  cari- 
catures of  Almighty  God.  Come  away  from  such  morally 
darkening  and  such  intellectually  dwarfing  superstitions,  the 
moldering  relics  of  oriental  mythology,  the  expiring  embers  of 
childish  credulity  and  tradition,  which  originated  far  back  in 
the  dark  cradle  of  human  existence,  in  the  infancy  of  an  unde- 
veloped age,  ruled  by  ignorance,  superstition,  and  priestcraft. 
Yet  millions  of  people  laying  claim  to  sense  and  intelligence, 
even  now  profess  to  believe  it!  Talk  not  to  me  of  infidelity 
or  blasphemy  for  denying  the  divinity  or  Godhead  of  Jesus 
Christ.'  The  blasphemy  lies  in  the  other  direction.  The  infi- 
delity is  with  the  opposite  party.  It  is  with  those  who  thus 
make  the  dignity  and  character  of  Deity  the  sport  of  childish 
baubles,  the  game  of  priestly  tawdryism.  And  be  assured,  dear 
friends,  one  and  all,  that  coming  generations  will  mark  the 
man  who  now  worships  “ the  man  Christ  Jesus  ” as  being  “very 
God  ” as  an  idolater,  if  not  a blasphemer  — for  worshiping  a 
finite  man  for  an  infinite  God,  even  though  the  motives  for 
such  worship  may  be  as  pure  as  the  pearly  stream  that  issues 
forth  from  the  golden  fount  which  rolls  and  sparkles  beneath 
the  throne  of  Almighty  God. 


Note.  The  words  Creator,  Maker,  &c.,  are  used  from  a Christian 
standpoint.  Science  knows  no  Creator. 


\ " ' \ 'AN!*)' 


v o' 

n a\  i ,KL' 


LA_  Q >; 


\ 


ABSURDITIES  OF  DIVINE  INCARNATION.  315 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

PHILOSOPHICAL  ABSURDITIES  OF  THE  DOCTRINE 
OF  THE  DIVINE  INCARNATION. 

There  is  a philosophical  principle  underlying  the  doctrine 
of  the  Divine  Incarnation,  whose  logical  deductions  completely 
overthrow  the  claim  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  to  the  Godhead,  and 
which  we  regard  as  settling  the  question  as  conclusively  as  any 
demonstrated  problem  in  mathematics.  This  argument  is  pred- 
icated upon  the  philosophical  axiom,  that  two  infinite  beings, 
of  any  description  or  conception,  cannot  exist,  either  in  whole 
or  in  part,  at  the  same  time ; and  per  consequence,  it  is  impossi- 
ble that  the  Father  and  Son  should  both  be  God  in  a divine 
sense,  either  conjointly  or  separately.  The  word  infinite  com- 
prehends all ; it  covers  the  whole  ground;  it  fills  the  immensity 
of  the  universe,  and  fills  it  to  repletion,  so  that  there  is  no 
room  left  for  any  other  being  to  exist.  And  whoever  and  what- 
ever does  exist  must  constitute  a part  of  this  infinite  whole. 

Now,  the  Christian  world  concedes  (for  it  is  the  teaching  of 
their  Scriptures),  that  the  Father  is  God,  always  and  truly,  per- 
fect, complete,  and  absolute;  that  there  is  nothing  wanting  in 
him  to  constitute  him  God  in  the  most  comprehensive  and 
absolute  sense  of  the  term ; that  he  is  all  we  can  conceive  of 
as  constituting  God,  “ the  one  only  true  God”  (John  xvii.  3), 
and  was  such  from  all  eternity,  before  Jesus  Christ  was  born 
into  the  world ; and  Paul  puts  the  keystone  into  the  arch  by 
proclaiming,  “ To  us  there  is  but  one  God,  the  Father.”  (1 
Cor.  viii.  6.)  Hence  we  have  here  a logical  proposition  (de- 
spite the  sophistry  of  Christendom)  as  impregnable  as  the  rocks 
of  Gibraltar,  that  the  Father  alone  is  or  can  be  God,  which 
effectually  shuts  out  every  other  and  all  other  beings  in  the 


316 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


universe  from  any  participation  in  the  Godhead  witli  the  Father, 
And  thus  this  parity  of  reasoning  demonstrates  that  the  very 
moment  you  attempt  to  make  Christ  God,  or  any  part  of  the 
Godhead,  you  attempt  a philosophical  impossibility.  You  can- 
not introduce  another  being  as  God  in  the  infinite  sense  until 
the  first-named  infinite  God  is  dethroned  and  put  out  of  exist- 
ence, and  this,  of  course,  is  a self-evident  impossibility.  If  it 
were  not  such,  then  we  should  have  two  Gods,  both  absolute 
and  infinite.  On  the  other  hand,  if  that  other  being  (who  with 
the  Christians  is  Jesus  Christ,  with  the  Hindoos  Chrishna, 
with  the  Budhists  Sakia,  &c.)  is  introduced  as  only  a part  of 
the  infinite  and  perfect  God,  then  it  is  evident  to  every  mind 
with  the  least  philosophical  perception,  that  some  change  or 
alteration  must  take  place  in  the  latter  before  such  a union  can 
be  effected.  But  such  a change,  or  any  alteration,  in  a perfect 
infinite  being  would  at  once  reduce  him  to  a changeable  and 
finite  being,  and  thus  he  would  cease  to  be  God.  For  it  is  a 
clear  philosophical  and  mathematical  axiom,  that  a perfect  and 
infinite  being  cannot  become  more  than  infinite.  And  if  he 
could  and  should  become  less  than  infinite,  he  would  at  once 
become  finite,  and  thus  lose  all  the  attributes  of  the  Godhead. 
To  say  or  assume,  then,  that  Christ  was  God  in  the  absolute  or 
divine  sense,  and  the  Father  also  God  absolute,  and  yet  that 
there  is  but  one  God,  or  that  the  two  could  in  any  manner  be 
united,  so  as  to  constitute  but  one  God,  is  not  only  a glaring 
solecism,  but  a positive  contradiction  in  terms,  and  an  utter 
violation  of  the  first  axiomatic  principles  of  philosophy  and 
mathematics.  It  also  asserts  the  illogical  hypothesis,  that  a 
part  can  be  equal  to  the  whole  : it  first  assumes  the  Father  to 
be  absolutely  God,  then  assumes  the  Son  also  to  be  abso- 
lutely God,  and  finally  assumes  each  to  be  only  a part,  and  has 
to  unite  them  to  make  a whole  and  complete  God;  and  thereby 
culminates  the  theological  farce.  Such  is  Christian  ratiocina- 
tion 

Again,  it  is  conceded  by  Christians,  that  the  Father  is  an 
omnipresent  being;  and  we  have  shown  that  it  is  a mathemati- 
cal impossibility  for  two  omnipresent  beings,  or  two  beings 
possessing  any  infinite  attributes,  to  exist  at  one  and  the  same 


ABSURDITIES  OF  DIVINE  INCARNATION.  317 


time.  Hence  the  clear  logical  deduction  that  the  Sc  n could  not 
be  omnipresent,  and  per  sequence,  not  God.  Again,  we  have 
another  philosophical  maxim  or  axiom  familiar  to  every  school- 
boy, that  no  two  substances  or  beings  can  occupy  the  same  place 
at  the  same  time ; the  first  must  be  removed  before  the  second 
can  by  any  possibility  be  introduced,  in  order  thus  to  make  room 
for  the  latter.  But  as  omnipresent  means  existing  everywhere, 
there  can  be  no  place  to  remove  an  omnipresent  being  to,  or 
rather  there  can  be  no  place  or  space  he  can  be  withdrawn 
from  in  order  to  make  room  for  another  being,  without  his  ceas- 
ing to  be  omnipresent  himself,  and  thereby  ceasing  to  be  God. 

It  is  thus  shown  to  be  a demonstrable  truth  that  the  omni- 
presence of  the  Father  does  and  must  exclude  that  of  the  Son, 
and  thus  exclude  the  possibility  of  his  apotheosis  or  incarnated 
deityship.  In  other  words,  it  is  established  as  a scientific  prin- 
ciple upon  a philosophical  and  mathematical  basis,  that  Jesus 
Christ  was  not  and  could  not  be  “the  great  I AM,”  k4the  only 
true  God.” 

We  will  notice  one  other  philosophical  absurdity  involved 
in  the  doctrine  of  the  divine  incarnation  — one  other  sole- 
cism comprehended  in  the  childish  notion  which  invests  the 
infinite  God  with  finite  attributes.  It  is  a well-established 
and  well-understood  axiom  in  philosophy,  that  “the  less  can- 
not be  made  to  contain  the  greater.”  A pint  bottle  cannot 
be  made  to  contain  a quart  of  wine.  For  the  same  reason  a 
finite  body  cannot  contain  an  infinite  spirit.  Hence  philosophy 
presses  the  conclusion  that  “the  man  Christ  Jesus”  could  not 
have  comprehended  in  himself  “ the  Godhead  bodily,”  inasmuch 
as  it  would  have  required  the  infinite  God  to  be  incorporated 
in  a finite  human  body.  We  are  therefore  compelled  to  reject 
the  doctrine  of  the  incarnate  divinity,  the  belief  in  the  deity- 
ship of  Jesus  Christ,  because  (with  many  other  reasons  enumer- 
ated elsewhere)  it  involves  a direct  tilt  against  some  of  the 
plainest  principles  of  science,  and  challenges,  ay,  virtually  over- 
throws, some  of  the  fundamental  laws  of  both  natural  and  moral 
philosophy.  Ho  philosopher,  therefore,  does  or  can  believe  in 
the  absolute  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ. 


318 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


CHAPTER  XXXVII.  N 

PHYSIOLOGICAL  ABSURDITIES  OF  THE  DOCTRINE 
OF  THE  DIVINE  INCARNATION. 

There  is  also  a physiological  principle  (discovered  by  the 
author)  comprised  in  the  doctrine  of  the  Divine  Incarnation 
fatal  in  its  practical  and  logical  application  to  the  divinity  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  all  the  other  incarnate  or  flesh-invested  Gods 
of  antiquity.  It  is  evidently  fraught  with  much  logical  force. 
It  is  based  upon  the  law  of  mental  and  physical  correspondence. 
As  is  the  physical  conformation , so  is  the  mentality , is  a law 
of  analogy  which  pilots  us  to  nearly  all  our  practical  knowledge 
of  the  natural  world.  A knowledge  of  either  serves  as  an 
index  to  the  other. 

When  we  observe  an  animal  possessing  that  physical  form 
and  construction  peculiar  to  its  species,  we  expect  to  find  it 
practically  exhibiting  the  nature,  character,  disposition,  and 
habits  peculiar  to  that  class  of  animals.  If  it  possesses,  for  ex- 
ample, the  conformation  of  a sheep,  we  infer  at  once  that  it  has 
the  disposition  of  a sheep,  and  we  are  never  disappointed  in 
this  conclusion.  And  when  we  encounter  an  animal  with  the 
tiger  form,  we  expect  to  see  exhibited  the  tiger  spirit.  If  it 
possesses  the  well-known  physical  conformation  of  the  tiger,  we 
are  never  deceived  or  misled  when  we  assign  it  a predatory 
disposition.  If  it  is  a tiger  in  form,  it  is  sure  to  be  a tiger  in 
character  and  habits.  And  so  of  all  the  genera  and  species  of 
animals  that  range  upon  the  face  of  the  globe.  We  may  travel 
through  the  whole  field  of  animated  nature,  and  observe  the 
infallible  operation  of  this  beautiful  law  of  correspondence  till 
we  come,  however,  to  the  crowning  work  of  God,  called  Man 


ABSURDITIES  OF  DIVINE  INCARNATION.  319 

Here  we  find  this  lav/,  this  beautiful  chain  of  analogy,  broken 
by  the  doctrine  of  the  “ divine  incarnation.”  God  becomes  a 
man,  at  least  is  made  to  exhibit  every  external  appearance  of  a 
man.  All  external  distinction  between  God  and  man  is  thus 
obliterated.  So  that  the  very  first  being  we  meet  in  the  street 
or  on  the  highway  possessing  the  form,  size,  and  physical  con- 
formation of  a man,  and  presenting  every  other  external  appear- 
ance of  being  a man,  may  nevertheless  be  a God.  And  no  less 
is  this'objection  practically  exemplified,  and  not  less  is  the  in- 
fraction of  this  beautiful  law  of  analogy  observable  in  the  case 
of  Jesus  Christ,  than  in  the  numerous  other  incarnate  Gods  and 
. demigods  of  antiquity.  Being  in  appearance  a man,  how  was  he 
to  be , or  how  could  he  be , visually  distinguished  from  a man  ? Or 
how  could  those  men  who  were  cotemporary  with  him,  know,  as 
they  approached  him,  or  as  they  approached  each  other,  whether 
they  were  meeting  a man  or  a God  ? Seeing  that  “he  was  found 
in  fashion  as  a man  ” (Phil.  ii.  8),  either  he  might  be  mistaken 
for  a man,  or  they  for  a God.  They  were  constantly  liable  to 
be  confounded.  If,  then,  the  infinite  deityship  was  lodged  in 
the  person  of  Jesus  Christ,  it  is  evident  that  that  important 
fundamental  law  of  nature  — “ as  is  the  form,  so  is  the  character  ” 
— was  utterly  annulled,  prostrated,  annihilated,  and  banished 
from  the  world  by  the  act.  So  that  all  was,  and  is  henceforth 
and  forever,  chaos,  confusion,  and  uncertainty.  For  if  the  prin- 
ciple can  be  violated  in  one  instance,  it  may  be  in  another,  and 
in  thousands  of  cases,  ad  infinitum.  If  one  case  could  be 
allowed  to  occur,  the  principle  is  established,  and  nature’s  uni- 
versal chain  of  analogy  is  broken  and  destroyed  ; for  to  inter- 
cept the  law  is  to  “break  the  tenth  and  ten  thousandth  link 
alike.” 

Hence  it  is  evident  that  if  a being  resembling  a man  may 
be  a God,  an  animal  resembling  a cow  may  be  a horse,  and 
yonder  stick  a poisonous  adder;  and  fatal  may  be  the  conse- 
quences, in  thousands  of  instances,  in  judging  or  inferring  the 
nature  and  character  of  an  animal  by  its  form  and  size.  A sup- 
posed'innocent  animal  might  be  a deadly  enemy,  or  vice  versa. 
Can  we  then  believe,  or  dare  we  believe,  a doctrine  so  atheisti- 
cal in  its  tendencies  as  that  the  Infinite  Deity  was  incorporated 


820 


THE  WORTHS  SAVIORS. 


in  the  person  of  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus,  when  it  would  thus 
set  at  naught,  violate,  prostrate,  and  utterly  cancel  from  the 
world  one  of  God’s  own  fundamental  laws,  and  one  of  the 
essential  principles  of  natural  science,  and  banish  forever  the 
co-ordinate  harmony  of  the  universe,  and  thus  inaugurate  a 
state  of  universal  disorder,  incertitude,  anarchy,  and  misrule 
into  the  otherwise  beautifully  law-governed,  well-regulated  do- 
main of  nature  ? Certainly,  most  certainly  not ! If  the  incar- 
nation of  the  Deity  should  or  could  take  place,  there  should  be 
something  strikingly  peculiar,  ay,  infinitely  peculiar,  in  his 
figure,  size,  and  general  appearance,  in  order  to  make  him  sus- 
ceptible of  being  distinguished  from  the  human.  Otherwise, 
men  would  be  liable  to  be  constantly  mistaking  and  worship- 
ing each  other  for  the  Great  Almighty  and  Ubiquitous  God,  and 
thus  constantly  blundering  into  idolatry.  And  we  actually 
find  several  cases  reported  in  the  Scriptures  (mark  the  fact 
well)  of  men,  ay,  the  saints  themselves,  being  led  into  this  error ; 
being  led  to  commit  “the  high-handed  sin  of  idolatry  ” in  conse- 
quence of  their  previous  acceptance  of  the  belief  in  a man-God 
— that  is,  a God  of  human  size  and  type.  St.  John,  in  two 
instances,  was  in  the  act  of  worshiping  a being  possessing  the 
human  form,  whom  he  mistook  for  the  omnipotent  and  omni- 
present God.  (See  Rev.  xix.  10,  and  xxii.  4.)  Having,  per- 
haps, been  taught  that  “ the  fullness  of  the  Godhead  dwelt  bodily 
in  Christ  Jesus,”  he  probably  mistook  the  being  he  met  for 
Him , and  hence  offered  to  worship  him.  If,  then,  Christ’s  own 
“inspired  disciples”  could  be  thus  betrayed  into  “the  sin  of 
idolatry”  by  having  abolished  the  infinite  distinction  between 
the  divine  and  the  human,  we  surely  find  here  a very  weighty 
argument  against  such  a leveling  and  equalizing  doctrine.  And 
certainly  nothing  could  be  better  calculated  to  promote  “ the 
sin  of  idolatry”  than  thus  to  obliterate  the  broad,  the  in- 
finitely grand  line  of  demarkation  between  the  infinite  God  and 
his  finite  creature  man.  Indeed,  may  we  not  here  find  the 
very  origin  and  the  cause  of  the  now  general  prevalence  of 
idolatry  in  pagan  countries  ? Is  it  not  directly  traceable  to  the 
demolition  of  the  broad,  high,  and  insurmountable  wall  of  dis- 
tinction which  ought  forever  to  stand  between  a God  of  infh 


ABSURDITIES  OF  DIVINE  INCARNATION. 


3‘2l 


nite  attributes,  and  a being  caged  up  in  the  human  form?  Cer- 
tainly, most  certainly  it  is.  Hence  here  1 would  ask,  How 
can  Christians,  after  subscribing  to  the  doctrine,  “ that  the  full- 
ness of  the  Godhead  dwelt  bodily  in  the  man  Christ  Jesus  ” 
(as  Paul  very  appropriately  calls  him),  condemn  the  people  of 
any  age  or  nation  for  worshiping  as  God  their  fellow-beings  — 
that  is,  beings  with  the  human  form?  Certainly  the  man  who 
could  believe  that  the  infinite  God  could  be  comprehended  or 
incorporated  in  the  person  of  Jesus,  could  easily  be  brought  to 
believe  that  the  Grand  Lama  of  Thibet  is  a proper  object  of 
divine  worship.  Pie  only  lacks  the  substitution  of  names. 
Substitute  the  Grand  Lama  for  that  of  Jesus  Christ , and  the 
thing  is  done.  And  idolatry  thus  becomes  an  easily  established 
institution,  and  its  abolition  in  any  country  an  absolute  moral 
impossibility. 


21 


322 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

A HISTORICAL  VIEW  OE  THE  DIVINITY  OF  JESUS 

CHRIST. 

A most  fatal  distrust  is  thrown  upon  the  miraculous  portions 
of  the  history  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  found  in  his  Gospel  narratives, 
by  the  discovery  of  the  fact  (brought  to  light  through  recent  ar- 
chaeological researches),  that  the  same  marvelous  feats,  the  same 
miraculous  incidents,  which  were  recorded  in  his  life,  were  long 
previously  ingrafted  into  the  sacred  biographies  of  Gods  and 
demigods  no  less  adored  and  worshiped  as  beings  possessing 
divine  attributes.  We  shall  leave  the  reader  to  account  for 
the  long  list  of  astonishing  coincidences,  as  we  proceed  to  re- 
capitulate and  abridge  from  previous  chapters,  the  almost  innu- 
merable parallel  incidents  running  through  the  legendary  histo- 
ry of  the  many  demigods  and  sin-atoning  saviors  of  antiquity. 
The  historical  vouchers  are  given.  We  shall  first  direct  atten- 
tion to  the  long  string  of  corresponding  events  recorded  in  the 
sacred  histories  of  ancient  Hindoo  Gods,  as  compared  with 
those  of  Jesus  Christ  at  a much  later  period. 

As  far  back  as  1200  B.  C.,  sacred  records  were  extant  and 
traditions  were  current,  in  the  East,  which  taught  that  the 
heathen  Savior  (Chrishna)  was,  1st.  Immaculately  conceived 
and  born  of  a spotless  virgin,  “ who  had  never  known  man.” 
2d.  That  the  author  of,  or  agent  in,  the  conception,  was  a spirit 
or  ghost  (of  course  a Holy  Ghost).  3d.  That  he  was  threat- 
ened in  early  infancy  with  death  by  the  ruling  tyrant,  Cansa. 
4th.  That  his  parents  had,  consequently,  to  flee  with  him  to 
Gokul  for  safety.  5th.  That  all  the  young  male  children  under 
two  years  of  age  were  slain  by  an  order  issued  by  Cansa,  similar 
to  that  of  Herod  in  Judea.  6th.  That  angels  and  shepherds 


D IVIN  ITT  OF  JESUS  CHRIST . 


323 


attended  his  birth.  7th.  That  his  birth  and  advent  occurred  on 
the  25th  of  December.  8th.  That  it  occurred  in  accordance 
with  previous  prophecy.  9th.  That  he  was  presented  at  birth 
with  frankincense,  myrrh,  &c.  10th.  That  he  was  saluted  and 

worshiped  as  “the  Savior  of  men,”  according  to  the  report  of 
the  late  Christian  missionary  Hue.  11th.  That  he  led  a life  of 
humility  and  practical  moral  usefulness.  12th.  That  he  wrought 
various  astounding  miracles,  such  as  healing  the  sick,  restoring 
sight  to  the  blind,  casting  out  devils,  raising  the  dead  to  life, 
&c.  13th.  That  he  was  finally  put  to  death  upon  the  cross 

(i.  e.,  crucified)  between  two  thieves.  14th.  After  which  he 
descended  to  hell,  rose  from  the  dead,  and  ascended  back  to 
heaven  “in  the  sight  of  all  men,”  as  his  biblical  history  declares. 
For  hundreds  of  other  similar  parallels,  including  his  doctrines 
and  precepts,  see  Chapter  XXXII. 

Now,  all  these  were  matters  of  the  firmest  belief,  more  than 
three  thousand  years  ago,  in  the  minds  of  millions  of  the  most 
devout  worshipers  that  ever  bowed  the  knee  in  humble  prayer 
to  the  Father  of  Mercies.  The  reader  can  draw  his  own  de- 
duction. 

And  then  we  have  presented  similar  brief  lists  of  parallels  in 
Chapter  XXXIII.,  comprised  in  a comparative  view  of  the  mi- 
raculous lives  of  the  Judean  and  Egyptian  Saviors,  Christ,  Al- 
cides,  Osiris,  Tulis,  &c.  In  this  analogous  exhibition,  it  will 
be  observed  the  Egyptian  Gods  are  reported,  as  remotely  as 
900  B.  C.,  as  performing,  besides  several  of  the  miraculous 
achievements  enumerated  above,  other  miracles  equally  indica- 
tive of  divine  power,  such  as  converting  water  into  wine,  caus- 
ing “rain  to  descend  from  heaven,”  &c.  And  on  the  occasion 
of  the  crucifixion  of  Tulis  we  are  told  “ the  sun  became  dark- 
ened and  the  moon  refused  to  shine.” 

We  find,  also,  several  well-authenticated  instances  of  raising 
the  dead  to  life,  in  works  portraying  the  miraculous  achieve- 
ments of  the  Egyptian  Gods,  the  relation  being  given  in  such 
specific  detail  in  some  cases  that  the  names  of  the  reanimated 
dead  are  furnished.  Tyndarus  and  Hypolitus  were  instances 
of  this  kind,  both  (according  to  Julius)  having  been  raised 
from  the  dead.  Descending  the  line  of  history,  until  we  arrive 


824 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


at  the  confines  of  Grecian  theology,  we  find  here  die  same  train 
of  marvelous  events  recorded  in  the  histories  of  their  virgin- 
born  Gods,  as  we  have  shown  in  Chapter  XXXIII.,  such  as  their 
healing  the  sick  and  the  cripples,  causing  the  blind  to  see,  the 
lame  to  walk,  the  dead  to  be  resuscitated  to  life,  &c.  And 
cases,  as  we  have  shown,  are  reported  of  their  reading  the 
thoughts  of  their  disciples,  as  Jesus  did  those  of  the  woman  of 
Samaria.  Apollonius  declares  he  knew  many  Hindoo  saints  to 
perform  this  achievement  with  entire  strangers. 

Likewise  Apollonius  of  Tyana  and  Simon  Magus,  both  cotem- 
porary with  Jesus  Christ,  we  have  arranged  in  the  historic  par- 
allel (see  Chapter  XXXIII.),  with  their  long  train  of  miracles, 
constituting  an  exact  counterpart  with  those  related  in  the 
Gospel  history  of  Christ,  and  including  in  Apollonius’s  case, 
besides  those  specified  in  the  histories  of  the  Gods  above 
named,  the  miracle  of  transfiguration,  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead,  his  visible  ascent  to  heaven,  &c.,  while  Simon  Magus  was 
very  expert  in  casting  out  devils,  raising  the  dead,  allaying 
storms,  walking  on  the  sea,  &c.  - 

But  without  recapitulating  further,  we  will  recite  some  new 
historic  facts  not  embraced  in  any  of  the  preceding  chapters  of 
this  work,  and  tending  to  demonstrate  still  further  the  univer- 
sal analogy  of  all  religions,  past  and  present,  in  their  claims  for 
a miraculous  power  for  their  Gods  and  incarnate  Saviors.  The 
“New  York  Correspondent,”  published  in  1828,  furnishes  us 
the  following  brief  history  of  an  ancient  Chinese  God,  known 
as  Beddou  : — 

“ All  the  Eastern  writers  agree  in  placing  the  birth  of  Bed- 
dou 1027  B.  C.  The  doctrines  of  this  Deity  prevailed  over 
Japan,  China,  and  Ceylon.  According  to  the  sacred  tenets  of 
his  religion,  4 God  is  incessantly  rendering  himself  incarnate,’ 
but  his  greatest  and  most  solemn  incarnation  was  three  thou- 
sand years  ago,  in  the  province  of  Cashmere,  under  the  name 
of  Fot,  or  Beddou.  He  was  believed  to  have  sprung  from  the 
right  intercostal  of  a virgin  of  the  royal  blood,  who,  when  she 
became  a mother,  did  not  the  less  continue  to  be  a virgin ; that 
the  king  of  the  country,  uneasy  at  his  birth,  was  desirous  to 
put  him  to  death,  and  hence  caused  all  the  males  that  were 


DIVINITT  OF  JESUS  CHRIST . 


325 


born  at  the  same  period  to  be  put  to  death,  and  also  that,  being 
saved  by  shepherds,  he  lived  in  the  desert  to  the  age  of  thirty 
years,  at  which  time  he  opened  his  commission,  preaching  the 
doctrines  of  truth,  and  casting  out  devils ; that  he  performed  a 
multitude  of  the  most  astonishing  miracles,  spent  his  life  fash- 
ing, and  in  the  severest  mortifications,  and  at  his  death  be- 
queathed to  his  disciples  the  volume  in  which  the  principles  of 
his  religion  are  contained.” 

Here,  it  will  be  observed,  are  some  very  striking  counterparts 
lo  the  miraculous  incidents  found  related  in  the  Gospel  history 
of  Jesus  Christ.  And  no  less  analogous  is  the  no  less  well-au- 
thenticated story  of  Quexalcote  of  Mexico,  which  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Maurice  concedes  to  be,  and  Lord  Kingsborough  and  Niebuhr 
(in  his  history  of  Rome)  prove  to  be  much  older  than  the  Gospel 
account  of  Jesus  Christ.  According  to  Maurice’s  “Ind.  Ant.,” 
Humboldt’s  “ Researches  in  Mexico,”  Lord  Kingsborough’s 
“Mexican  Ant.,”  and  other  works,  the  incarnate  God  Quexalcote 
was  born  (about  800  B.  C.)  of  a spotless  virgin,  by  the  name 
Chimalman,  and  led  a life  of  the  deepest  humility  and  piety ; 
retired  to  a wilderness,  fasted  forty  days,  was  worshiped  as  a 
God,  and  was  finally  crucified  between  two  thieves;  after  wTiieh 
he  was  buried  and  descended  into  hell,  but  rose  again  the  third 
day.  The  following  is  a part  of  Lord  Kingsborough’s  testimony 
in  the  case:  “The  temptation  of  Quexalcote,  the  fast  of  forty 
days  ordained  by  the  Mexican  ritual,  the  cup  with  which  he 
was  presented  to  drink  (on  the  cross),  the  reed  which  was  his 
sign,  the  * Morning  Star,’  which  he  is  designated,  the  4 Teotee- 
pall,  or  Divine  Stone,’  which  was  laid  on  his  altar,  and  which 
was  likewise  an  object  of  adoration, — all  these  circumstances) 
connected  with  many  others  relating  to  Quexalcote  of  Mexico, 
but  which  are  here  omitted,  are  very  curious  and  mysterious.” 
(Yol.  vi.  p.  237,  of  Mexican  Ant.) 

Again,  “ Quexalcote  is  represented,  in  the  painting  of  Co- 
dex Borgianus,  as  nailed  to  the  cross.”  (See  Mex.  Ant.  vol.  vi. 
p.  166.)  One  plate  in  this  work  represents  him  as  being  cruci- 
fied in  the  heavens,  one  as  being  crucified  between  two  thieves. 
Sometimes  he  is  represented  as  being  nailed  to  the  cross,  and 
sometimes  as  hanging  with  the  cross  in  his  hands.  The  same 


826 


THE  WORLD 9 S SAVIORS . 


work  speaks  of  bis  burial,  descent  into  hell,  and  his  resurrec- 
tion ; while  the  account  of  his  immaculate  conception  and 
miraculous  birth  are  found  in  a work  called  “ Codex  Vati- 
can us.” 

Other  parallel  incidents  could  be  cited,  if  we  had  space  for 
them,  appertaining  to  the  history  of  this  Mexican  God.  And 
parallels  might  also  be  constructed  upon  the  histories  of  other 
ancient  Gods,  — as  that  of  Sakia  of  India,  Salivahana  of  Ber- 
muda, Hesus,  or  Eros,  of  the  Celtic  Druids,  Mithra  of  Persia, 
Hil  and  Feta  of  the  Mandaites,  &c. 

But  we  will  close  with  the  testimony  of  a French  philoso- 
pher (Bazin)  on  the  subject  of  deific  incarnations.  This  writ- 
er says,  “ The  most  ancient  histories  are  those  of  Gods  who 
became  incarnate  in  order  to  govern  mankind.  All  those  fables 
are  the  same  in  spirit,  and  sprang  up  everywhere  from  con- 
fused ideas,  which  have  universally  prevailed  among  mankind, 
— that  Gods  formerly  descended  upon  earth.” 

Now,  we  ask  the  Christian  reader,  — and  it  will  be  the  first 
query  of  every  man  whose  religious  faith  has  not  made  ship- 
wreck of  his  reason,  — u What  does  all  this  mean  ? How  are 
you  going  to  sustain  the  declaration  that  Jesus  Christ  was  the 
only  son  and  sent  of  God,  in  view  of  these  historic  facts? 
Where  are  the  superior  credentials  of  his  claim  ? How  will 
you  prove  his  apparently  legendary  history  (that  is,  the  miracu- 
lous portion  of  his  history)  to  be  real,  and  the  others  false  ? ” 
We  boldly  aver  it  cannot  be  done.  Please  answer  these  ques- 
tions, or  relinquish  your  doctrine  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ. 


CHRIST'S  D IVIN  ITT. 


327 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

T1IE  SCRIPTURAL  VIEW  OF  CHRIST'S  DIVINITY. 

The  monstrous  scientific  paradox  (as  coming  ages  will  regard 
it)  comprehended  in  the  conception  of  an  almighty,  omnipres- 
ent, and  infinite  Being,  “ the  Creator  of  innumerable  worlds,” 
(“by  him  [Christ]  were  all  things  made  that  were  made,”  John 
i.  3-10),  being  born  of  a frail  and  finite  woman,  as  taught  by 
both  the  oriental  and  Christian  religion,  is  so  exceedingly 
shocking  to  every  rational  mind,  which  has  not  been  sadly 
warped,  perverted,  and  coerced  into  the  belief  by  early  psycho- 
logical influence,  that  we  would  naturally  presume  that  those 
who,  on  the  assumption  of  the  remotest  possibility  of  its  truth, 
should  venture  to  put  forth  a doctrine  so  glaringly  unreasona- 
ble and  so  obviously  untenable,  would  of  course  vindicate  it  and 
establish  it  by  the  strongest  arguments  and  by  the  most  unas- 
sailable and  most  irrefragable  proofs  ; and  that  in  setting  forth  a 
doctrine  so  manifestly  at  war  with  every  law  and  analogy  of 
nature  and  every  principle  of  science,  no  language  should  have 
been  used,  nor  the  slightest  admission  made,  that  could  possibly 
lead  to  the  slightest  degree  of  suspicion  that  the  original  authors 
and  propagators  of  this  doctrine  had  either  any  doubt  of  the 
truth  of  the  doctrine  themselves,  or  were  wanting  in  the  most 
ample,  the  most  abundant  proof  to  sustain  it.  Xo  language,  no 
text,  not  a word,  not  a syllable  should  have  been  used  making 
the  most  remote  concession  damaging  to  the  validity  of  the 
doctrine,  so  that  not  “ the  shadow  of  a shade  of  doubt”  could 
be  left  on  any  mind  of  its  truth.  Omnipotent  indeed  should 
be  the  logic,  and  irresistible  the  proof,  in  support  of  a thesis  or 
a doctrine  which  so  squarely  confronts  and  contradicts  all  the 
observation,  all  the  experience,  the  whole  range  of  scientific 


328 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


knowledge,  and  the  common  sense  of  mankind.  How  startling, 
then,  to  every  devout  and  honest  professor  of  the  Christian 
faith  ought  to  be  the  recent  discovery  of  the  fact,  that  the  great 
majority  of  the  texts  having  any  bearing  upon  the  doctrine  of 
the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ,  — a large  majority  of  the  passages 
in  the  very  book  on  which  the  doctrine  is  predicated,  and  which 
is  acknowledged  as  the  sole  warranty  for  such  a belief,  — are  ac- 
tually at  variance  with  the  doctrine,  and  actually  amount  to  its 
virtual  denial  and  overthrow.  For  we  find,  upon  a critical  ex- 
amination of  the  matter,  that  at  least  three  fourths  of  the  texts, 
both  in  the  Gospels  and  Epistles,  which  relate  to  the  divinity 
of  Christ,  specifically  or  by  implication  either  teach  a different 
and  a contrary  doctrine,  or  make  concessions  entirely  fatal  to 
it,  by  investing  him  with  finite  human  qualities  utterly  incom- 
patible with  the  character  and  attributes  of  a divine  or  infinite 
Being.  How  strange,  then,  how  superlatively  strange,  that 
millions  should  yet  hold  to  such  a strange  “ freak  of  nature,” 
such  a dark  relic  of  oriental  heathenism,  such  a monstrously 
foolish  and  childish  superstition,  as  that  which  teaches  that  the 
infinite  Creator  and  “Upholder  of  the  universe”  could  be  re- 
duced so  near  to  nonentity,  as  was  required  to  pass  through 
the  ordinary  stages  of  human  generation,  human  birth,  and 
human  parturition,  — a puerile  notion  which  reason,  science, 
nature,  philosophy,  and  common  sense,  proclaim  to  be  supreme- 
ly absurd  and  self-evidently  impossible,  and  which  even  the 
Scriptures  fail  to  sustain,  — a logical,  scriptural  exposition,  of 
which  we  will  here  present  a brief  summary : — 

1.  The  essential  attributes  of  a self-existing  God  and  Crea- 
tor, and  “Upholder  of  all  things,”  are  infinitude,  omnipotence, 
omniscience,  and  omnipresence,  and  any  being  not  possessing 
all  these  attributes  to  repletion,  or  possessing  any  quality  or 
characteristic  in  the  slightest  degree  incompatible  with  any  one 
of  these  attributes,  cannot  be  a God  in  a divine  sense,  but 
must  of  necessity  be  a frail,  fallible,  finite  being. 

2.  Jesus  Christ  disclaims,  hundreds  of  times  over,  directly  or 
impliedly,  the  inherent  possession  of  any  one  of  these  divine 
attributes. 

8.  His  evangelical  biographers  have  invested  him  with  the 


CHRIST'S  DIVINITY . 


329 


entire  category  of  human  qualities  and  characteristics,  each  one 
ot  which  is  entirely  unbefitting  a God,  and  taken  together  are 
the  only  distinguishing  characteristics  by  which  we  can  know 
a man  from  a God. 

4.  Furthermore,  there  issued  from  his  own  mouth  various 
sayings  and  concessions  most  fatal  to  the  conception  of  his 
being  a God. 

5.  His  devout  biographers  have  reported  various  actions  and 
movements  in  his  practical  life  which  we  are  compelled  to  re- 
gard as  absolutely  irreconcilable  with  the  infinite  majesty,  lofty 
character,  and  supreme  attributes  of  an  almighty  Being. 

6^  These  human  qualities  were  so  obvious  to  all  who  saw 
him  and  all  who  became  acquainted  with  him,  that  doubts 
sprang  up  among  his  own  immediate  followers,  which  ultimate- 
ly matured  into  an  open  avowal  of  disbelief  in  his  divinity  in 
that  early  age. 

7.  Upon  the  axiomatical  principles  of  philosophy  it  is  an 
utter  and  absolute  impossibility  to  unite  in  repletion  the  divine 
and  the  human  in  the  same  being. 

8.  And  then  Christ  had  a human  birth. 

9.  He  was  constituted  in  part,  like  human  beings,  of  flesh 
and  blood. 

10.  He  became,  on  certain  occasions,  “ an  hungered,”  like 
finite  beings. 

11.  He  also  became  thirsty  (John  xix.  28),  like  perishable 
mortals. 

12.  He  often  slept,  like  mortals,  and  thus  became  “ to  dumb 
forgetfulness  a prey.” 

13.  He  sometimes  became  weary,  like  human  beings.  (See 
John  iv.  6.) 

14.  He  was  occasionally  tempted,  like  fallible  mortals.  (Matt, 
iv.  1.) 

15.  His  “ soul  became  exceeding  sorrowful,”  as  a frail,  finite 
being.  (Matt.  xxvi.  38.) 

16.  He  disclosed  the  weakness  of  human  passion  by  weep- 
ing. (John  xi.  35.) 

17.  He  was  originally  an  imperfect  being,  “ made  perfect 
through  suffering.”  (Heb.  ii.  10.) 


330 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


18.  He  “increased  in  wisdom  and  stature”  (Luke  ii.  52); 
therefore  he  must  have  possessed  finite,  changeable,  mortal 
attributes. 

19.  And  he  finally  died  and  was  buried,  like  all  perishable 
mortals.  He  could  not  possibly,  from  these  considerations,  have 
been  a God.  It  is  utterly  impracticable  to  associate  with  or 
comprehend,  in  a God  of  infinite  powers  and  infinite  attri- 
butes, all  or  any  of  these  finite  human  qualities. 

20.  Dark,  intellectually  dark,  indeed,  must  be  that  mind,  and 
sunk,  sorrowfully  sunk  in  superstition,  that  can  worship  a being 
as  the  great  omniscient,  omnipotent,  and  omnipresent  “I  AM,” 
who  possessed  all  those  qualities  which  were  constitutionally 
characteristic  of  the  pious,  the  noble,  the  devout,  the  Godlike, 
yet  finite  and  fallible  Jesus,  according  to  his  own  admissions 
and  the  representations  of  his  own  interested  biographers. 

21.  The  only  step  which  the  disciples  of  the  Christian  faith 
have  made  toward  disproving  or  setting  aside  these  arguments, 
objections,  and  difficulties,  is  that  of  assigning  the  incarnate 
Jesus  a double  or  twofold  nature  — the  amalgamation  of  the 
human  and  the  divine;  a postulate  and  a groundless  assump- 
tion, which  we  have  proved  and  demonstrated  by  thirteen  ar- 
guments, which  we  believe  to  be  .unanswerable,  is  not  only 
absurd,  illogical,  and  impossible,  but  foolish  and  ludicrous  in 
the  highest  degree.  (See  vol.  ii.) 

22.  This  senseless  hypothesis,  and  every  other  assumption 
and  argument  made  use  of  by  the  professors  of  the  Christian 
faith  to  vindicate  their  favorite  dogma  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus, 
we  have  shown  to  be  equally  applicable  to  the  demigods  of  the 
ancient  heathen,  more  than  twenty  of  whom  were  invested 
with  the  same  combination  of  human  and  divine  qualities  wdiicb 
the  followers  and  worshipers  of  Jesus  claim  for  him. 

23.  Testimony  of  the  Father  against  the  divinity  of  the  Son. 
The  Father  utterly  precludes  the  Son  from  any  participation  in 
the  divine  essence,  or  any  claim  in  the  Godhead,  by  such  dec- 
larations as  the  following : “I  am  Jehovah,  and  beside  me 
there  is  no  Savior.”  (Isaiah  xliii.  11.)  How,  then,  we  would 
ask,  can  Jesus  Christ  be  the  Savior?  “I,  Jehovah,  am  thy 
Savior  and  thy  Redeemer.”  Then  Christ  can  be  neither  the 


CHRIST'S  DIVINITY. 


331 


Savior  nor  Redeemer.  “ There  -is  no  God  else  beside  me,  a 
just  God  and  a Savior;  there  is  none  beside  me.”  (Isaiah  xiv 
21.)  So  the  Father  virtually  declares,  according  to  “ the  in- 
spired prophet  Isaiah,”  that  the  Son,  in  a divine  sense,  cannot 
be  either  God,  Savior,  or  Redeemer.  Again,  tc  I am  Jehovah, 
thy  God,  and  thou  shalt  not  acknowledge  a God  beside  me.” 
(Hosea  xiii.  4.)  Here  Christ  is  not  only  by  implication  cut  off 
from  the  Godhead,  but  positively  prohibited  from  being  wor- 
shiped as  God.  And  thus  the  testimony  of  the  Father  dis- 
proves and  sets  aside  the  divinity  of  the  Son. 

24.  Testimony  of  the  mother.  When  Mary  found,  after  a long 
search,  her  son  Jesus  in  the  temple,  disputing  with  the  doctors, 
and  chided  or  reproved  him  for  staying  from  home  without  the 
consent  of  his  parents,  and  declared,  “ thy  father  and  I sought 
thee,  sorrowing”  (Luke  ii.  48),  she  proclaimed  a twofold  deni- 
al of  his  divinity.  In  the  first  place  it  cannot  be  possible  that 
she  regarded  her  son  Jesus  as  “ that  awful  Being,  before 
whom  e’en  the  devout  saints  bow  in  trembling  fear,”  when  she 
used  such  language  and  evinced  such  a spirit  as  she  did. 
“ Why  hast  thou  thus  dealt  with  us  ? ” (Luke  ii.  48)  is  her 
chiding  language.  And  then,  when  she  speaks  of  Joseph  as 
his  father,  “ thy  father  and  I,”  she  issues  a declaration  against 
his  divinity  which  ought  to  be  regarded  as  settling  the  ques- 
tion forever.  For  who  could  know  better  than  the  mother,  or, 
rather,  who  could  know  but  the  mother,  who  the  father  of  the 
child  Jesus  was?  And  as  she  acknowledges  it  was  Joseph, 
she  thus  repudiates  the  story  of  the  immaculate  conception, 
which  constitutes  the  whole  basis  for  the  claim  of  his  divinity. 
Hence  the  testimony  of  the  mother,  also,  disproves  his  title  to 
the  Godhead. 

25.  Testimony  or  disclaimer  of  the  Son.  We  will  show 
by  a specific  citation  of  twenty-five  texts  that  there  is  not  one 
attribute  comprehended  in  or  peculiar  to  a divine  and  infinite 
Being,  but  that  Christ  rejects  as  applicable  to  himself — that  he 
most  conclusively  disclaims  every  attribute  of  a divine  Being, 
both  by  precept  and  practice,  and  often  in  the  most  explicit 
language. 

26.  By  declaring,  “ The  Son  can  do  nothing  of  himself” 


332 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


(John  v.  19),  he  most  emphatically  disclaims  the  attribute  of 
omnipotence.  For  an  omnipotent  Being  can  need  no  aid,  and 
can  accept  of  none. 

27.  When  he  acknowledged  and  avowed  his  ignorance  of  the 
day  of  judgment,  which  must  be  presumed  to  be  the  most  im- 
portant event  in  the  world’s  history,  he  disclaimed  the  attri- 
bute of  omniscience.  “ Of  that  day  and  hour  knoweth  no 
man,  neither  the  Son , but  the  Father  only.”  (Matt.  xxiv.  36.) 
Now,  as  an  omniscient  Being  must  possess  all  knowledge,  his 
avowed  ignorance  in  this  case  is  a confession  he  was  not  omni- 
scient, and  hence  not  a God. 

28.  And  when  he  declares,  “I  am  glad  for  your  sakes  I was 
not  there”  (at  the  grave  of  Lazarus),  he  most  distinctly  disa- 
vows being  omnipresent , and  thus  denies  to  himself  another  es- 
sential attribute  of  an  infinite  God. 

29.  And  the  emphatic  declaration,  “ I live  by  the  Father” 
(John  vi.  57),  is  a direct  disclaimer  of  the  attributes  of  self- 
existence / as  a being  who  lives  by  another  cannot  be  self-exist- 
ent, and,  per  consequence,  not  the  infinite  God. 

30.  He  disclaims  possessing  infinite  goodness , another  essen- 
tial attribute  of  a supreme  divine  Being.  “ Why  callest  thou 
me  good  ? there  is  none  good  but  one,  that  is  God.”  (Mark 
x.  18.) 

31.  He  disclaimed  divine  honors , and  directed  them  to  the 
father.  “ I honor  my  Father”  (John  viii.  49.)  “ I receive  not 
honor  from  men.”  (John  v.  41.) 

32.  He  recommended  supreme  worship  to  the  Father,  and 
not  to  himself.  “ The  true  worshipers  shall  worship  the  Father 
in  spirit  and  in  truth.”  (John  iv.  21.) 

33.  He  ascribed  supreme  dominion  to  the  Father.  “ Thine 
is  the  kingdom,  and  the  power,  and  the  glory  forever.”  (Matt.) 
vi.  13.) 

34.  It  will  be  seen,  from  the  foregoing  text,  that  Christ  also 
acknowledges  that  the  kingdom  is  the  Father’s.  A God  with- 
out a kingdom  would  be  a ludicrous  state  of  things. 

35.  He  conceded  supreme  authority  to  the  Father.  “My 
doctrine  is  not  mine,  but  his  that  sent  me.”  (John  vii.  16.) 

86.  He  considered  the  Father  as  the  supreme  protector  and 


CHRIST'S  DIVINITY. 


833 


preserver  of  even  his  own  disciples.  “I  pray  that  thou  shouldst 
keep  them  from  the  evil.”  (John  xvii.  15.)  What,  omnipa 
tence  not  able  to  protect  his  own  disciples  ? 

37.  In  fine,  he  humbly  acknowledged  that  his  power , his 

will,  his  ministry,  his  mission,  his  authority,  his  works,  his 
knowledge,  and  his  very  life,  were  all  from,  and  belonged  to, 
and  were  under  the  control  of,  the  Father.  “ I can  do  nothing 
of  myself;”  “I  came  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me;” 
“ The  Father  that  dwelleth  within  me,  he  doeth  the  work,” 
&c.  “ A God  within  a God,”  is  an  old  pagan  Otaheitan  doc- 

trine. 

38.  He  declared  that  even  spiritual  communion  was  the  work 
of  the  Father.  (See  John  vi.  45.) 

39.  He  acknowledged  himself  controlled  by  the  Father.  (See 
John  v.  30.) 

40.  He  acknowledged  his  entire  helplessness  and  dependence 
on  the  Father.  “ The  Son  can  do  nothing  of  himself,  but  what 
he  seeth  the  Father  do.”  (John  v.  19.) 

41.  He  acknowledged  that  even  his  body  was  the  work  of 
his  Father  ; in  other  words,  that  he  was  dependent  on  his  Fa- 
ther for  his  physical  life.  (See  Heb.  xvi.  5.) 

42.  And  more  than  all,  he  not  only  called  the  Father  “the 
only  true  God”  (John  xvii.  3),  but  calls  him  “ my  Father  and 
my  God .”  (John  xx.  17.)  Now,  it  would  be  superlative  non- 
sense to  consider  a being  himself  a God,  or  the  God,  who 
could  use  such  language  as  is  here  ascribed  to  the  humble 
Jesus.  This  text,  this  language,  is  sufficient  of  itself  to  show 
that  Christ  could  not  have  laid  any  claim  to  the  Godhead  on 
any  occasion,  unless  we  degrade  him  to  the  charge  of  the 
most  palpable  and  shameful  contradictions. 

43.  He  uniformly  directed  his  disciples  to  pray,  not  to  him , 
but  the  Father.  (See  Matt.  vi.  6.) 

44.  On  one  occasion,  as  we  have  cited  the  proof  (in  Matt.  xi. 
n)>  he  even  acknowledged  John  the  Baptist  to  be  greater  than 
he ; while  it  must  be  patent  to  every  reader  that  no  man  could 
be  greater  than  the  almighty,  supreme  Potentate  of  heaven  and 
earth,  in  any  sense  whatever. 

45.  Testimony  of  the  disciples.  Another  remarkable  proof 


334 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


of  the  human  sireship  of  Jesus  is,  that  one  of  his  own  disciples 
— ay,  one  of  the  chosen  twelve,  selected  by  him  as  being  en- 
dowed wTith  a perfect  knowledge  of  his  character,  mission,  and 
origin  — this  witness,  thus  posted  and  thus  authorized,  proclaims, 
in  unequivocal  language,  that  Jesus  was  the  son  of  Joseph. 
Hear  the  language  of  Philip  addressed  to  Nathanael.  “We 
have  found  him  of  whom  Moses,  in  the  law  and  the  prophets, 
did  write  — Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  son  of  Joseph .”  (John  i. 

45.)  No  language  could  be  more  explicit,  no  declaration  more 
positive,  that  Jesus  was  the  son  of  Joseph.  And  no  higher 
authority  could  be  adduced  to  settle  the  question,  coming  as  it 
does  from  “ headquarters.”  And  what  will,  or  what  can,  the 
devout  stickler  for  the  divinely  paternal  origin  of  Jesus  Christ 
do  with  such  testimony  ? It  is  a clincher  which  no  sophistry 
can  set  aside,  no  reasoning  can  grapple  with,  and  no  logic  over- 
throw. 

46.  Ins  disciples,  instead  of  representing  him  as  being  “ the 
only  true  God,”  often  speak  of  him  in  contradistinction  to 
God. 

47.  They  never  speak  of  him  as  the  God  Christ  Jesus,  but  as 

“the  man  Christ  Jesus.”  (1  Tim.  ii.  5.)  “ Jesus  of  Nazareth, 

a man  approved  of  God.”  (Acts  ii.  23.)  It  would  certainly  be 
blasphemy  to  speak  of  the  Supreme  Being  as  “ a man  approved 
of  God.”  Christian  reader,  reflect  upon  this  text.  “ By  that  man 
whom  he  (the  Father)  hath  ordained  ” (Acts  xvii.  3),  by  the 
assumption  of  the  Godhead  of  Christ,  we  would  be  presented 
with  the  double  or  twofold  solecism,  1st.  Of  God  being  “ or- 
dained ” by  another  God ; and  2d.  That  of  his  being  blasphe- 
mously called  a “man.” 

48.  Paul’s  declaration  has  been  cited,  that  “ unto  us  there  is 
but  one  God  — the  Father.”  (1  Cor.  iv.  8.)  Now,  it  is  plain  to 
common  sense,  that  if  there  is  but  one  God,  and  that  God  is 
comprehended  in  the  Father,  then  Christ  is  entirely  excluded 
from  the  Godhead. 

49.  If  John’s  declaration  be  true,  that  “ no  man  hath  seen 
God  at  any  time”  (John  iv.  12),  then  the  important  question 
arises,  How  could  Christ  be  God,  as  he  was  seen  by  thousands 
of  men,  and  seen  hundreds  of  times  ? 


CHRIST'S  DIVINITY. 


335 


50.  God  the  Father  is  declared  to  be  the  “ One.”  “the  Holy 
One,”  “the  only  One,”  &c.,  more  than  one  hundred  times,  as  if 
purposely  to  exclude  the  participation  of  any  other  being  in 
the  Godhead. 

51.  This  one , this  only  God,  is  shown  to  be  the  Father  alone 
in  more  than  four  thousand  texts,  thirteen  hundred  and  twenty- 
six  of  which  are  found  in  the  New  Testament. 

52.  More  than  fifty  texts  have  been  found  which  declare, 
either  explicitly  or  by  implication,  that  God  the  Father  has  no 
equal,  which  effectually  denies  or  shuts  out  the  divine  equality 
of  the  Son.  “ To  whom  will  ye  liken  me,  or  shall  I be  equal 
with,  saith  the  holy  One .”  (Isa.  xl.  25.) 

53.  Christ  in  the  New  Testament  is  called  “man,”  and  “the 
Son  of  man,”  eighty-four  times,  — egregious  and  dishonorable 
misnomers,  most  certainly,  to  apply  to  a supreme  and  infinite 
Deity.  On  the  other  hand,  he  is  called  God  but  three  times, 
and  denominates  himself  “ the  Son  of  God”  but  once,  and  that 
rather  obscurely. 

54.  The  Father  is  spoken  of,  in  several  instances,  as  standing 
in  the  relation  of  God  to  the  Son,  as  “ the  God  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.”  (Acts  iii.  2.)  “Ye  are  Christ’s,  and  Christ  is 
God’s.”  (1  Cor.  xi.  3.)  Now,  the  God  of  a God  is  a polythe- 
istic, heathen  conception;  and  no  meaning  or  interpretation,  as 
we  have  shown,  can  be  forced  upon  such  texts  as  these,  that 
will  not  admit  a plurality  of  Gods,  if  we  admit  the  titles  as 
applicable  to  Christ,  or  that  his  scriptural  biographers  intend 
to  apjfiy  such  a title  in  a superior  or  supreme  sense. 

55.  Many  texts  make  Christ  the  mere  tool,  agent,  image,  ser- 
vant, or  representative  of  God,  as  Christ,  “the  image  of  God” 
(Heb.  i.  3),  Christ,  the  appointed  of  God  (Heb.  iii.  1),  Christ, 
“the  servant  of  God  ” (Matt.  xii.  18),  &c.  To  consider  a 
being  thus  spoken  of  as  himself  the  supreme  God,  is,  as  we 
have  demonstrated,  the  very  climax  of  absurdity  and  nonsense. 
To  believe  “the  servant  of  God”  is  God  himself,  — that  is, 
the  servant  of  himself,  — and  that  God  and  his  “image”  are 
the  same,  is  to  descend  within  one  step  of  buffoonery. 

56.  And  then  it  has  been  ascertained  that  there  are  more 
than  three  hundred  texts  which  declare,  either  expressly  or  by 


836 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


implication,  Christ’s  subordination  to  and  dependence  on  th& 
Father,  as,  “I  can  do  nothing  of  myself;5’  “Not  mine,  but  his 
that  sent  me;”  “I  came  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me” 
(John  iv.  34)  ; “ I seek  the  will  of  my  Father,”  &c. 

57.  And  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  texts  make  the 
Son  inferior  to  the  Father,  as  “ the  Son  knoweth  not,  but  the 
Father  does  ” (Mark  viii.  32)  ; “ My  Father  is  greater  than  I ; ” 
“The  Son  can  do  nothing  of  himself”  (John  v.  19),  &c. 

58.  There  are  many  divine  titles  applied  to  the  Father 
which  are  never  used  with  reference  to  the  Son,  as  “ Jehovah,” 
“ The  Most  High,”  “ God  Almighty,”  “ The  Almighty,”  &c. 

On  the  other  hand,  those  few  divine  epithets  or  titles  which 
are  used  in  application  to  Jesus  Christ,  as  Lord,  God,  Savior, 
Redeemer,  Intercessor,  &c.,  it  has  been  shown  were  all  used 
prior  to  the  birth  of  Christ,  in  application  to  beings  known  and 
acknowledged  to  be  men,  and  some  of  them  are  found  so  ap- 
plied in  the  bible  itself ; as,  for  example,  Moses  is  called  a 
God  in  two  instances,  as  we  have  shown,  and  cited  the  proof 
(in  Ex.  iv.  16,  vii.  1),  while  the  title  of  Lord  is  applied  to  men 
at  this  day,  even  in  Christian  countries.  And  instances  have 
been  cited  in  the  bible  of  the  term  Savior  being  applied  to 
men,  both  in  the  singular  and  plural  numbers.  (See  2 Kings 
xiii.  5,  and  Neh.  ix.  27.)  Seeing,  then,  that  the  most  important 
divine  titles  which  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament  have 
applied  to  Jesus  were  previously  used  in  application  to  men , 
known  and  admitted  to  be  such,  it  is  therefore  at  once  evident 
that  those  titles  do  nothing  toward  proving  him  to  be  the 
Great  Divine  Being,  as  the  modern  Christian  world  assume  him 
to  be,  even  if  we  base  the  argument  wholly  on  scriptural 
grounds.  While,  on  the  other  hand,  we  have  demonstrated  it 
to  be  an  absolute  impossibility  to  apply  with  any  propriety  or 
any  sense  to  a divine  infinite  omnipotent  Being  those  finite 
human  qualities  which  are  so  frequently  used  with  reference  to 
Jesus  throughout  the  New  Testament.  And  hence,  even  if  we 
should  suppose  or  concede  that  the  writers  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment did  really  believe  him  to  be  the  great  Infinite  Spirit,  or 
the  almighty,  omnipotent  God,  we  must  conclude  they  were 
mistaken,  from  their  own  language,  from  their  own  description 


CHRIST'S  DIVINITY . 


337 


of  him,  as  well  as  his  own  virtual  denial  and  rejection  of  such 
a claim,  when  he  applied  to  himself,  as  he  did  in  nine  cases  out 
of  ten,  strictly  finite  human  qualities  and  human  titles  (as  we 
have  shown),  wholly  incompatible  with  the  character  of  an  in- 
finite divine  Being.  We  say,  from  the  foregoing  considerations, 
if  the  primitive  disciples  of  Jesus  did  really  believe  him  to  be 
the  great  Infinite,  both  their  descriptions  of  him  and  his  de- 
scription or  representation  of  himself,  would  amply  and  most 
conclusively  prove  that  they  were  mistaken.  At  least  we  are 
compelled  to  admit  that  there  is  either  an  error  in  applying 
divine  titles  to  Jesus,  or  often  an  error  in  describing  his  qual- 
ities and  powers,  by  himself  and  his  original  followers,  as  there 
is  no  compatibility  or  agreement  between  the  two.  Divine 
titles  to  such  a being  as  they  represent  him  to  be,  would  be  an 
egregious  misnomer.  We  say,  then,  that  it  must  be  clearly 
and  conclusively  evident  to  every  unbiased  mind,  from  evi- 
dence furnished  by  the  bible  itself,  that  if  the  divine  titles  ap- 
plied to  Jesus  were  intended  to  have  a divine  significance,  then 
they  are  misapplied.  Yet  we  would  not  here  conclude  an 
intentional  misrepresentation  in  the  case,  but  simply  a mistake 
growing  out  of  a misconception,  and  the  very  limited  childish 
conception,  of  the  nature,  character,  and  attributes  of  the  “great 
positive  Mind,”  so  universally  prevalent  in  that  semi-barbarous 
age,  and  the  apparently  total  ignorance  of  the  distinguishing 
characteristics  which  separate  the  divine  and  the  human.  We 
will  illustrate  : some  children,  on  passing  through  a wild  por- 
tion of  the  State  of  Maine  recently,  reported  they  encountered 
a bear ; and  to  prove  they  could  not  be  mistaken  in  the  animal, 
they  described  it  as  being  a tall,  slight-built  animal,  with  long, 
slender  legs,  of  yellowish  auburn  hue,  a short,  white,  bushy  tail, 
cloven  feet,  large  branchy  horns,  &c.  Now,  it  will  be  seen  at 
once  that,  while  their  description  of  the  animal  is  evidently  in 
the  main  correct,  they  had  simply  mistaken  a deer  for  a bear, 
and  hence  misnamed  the  animal. 

In  like  manner  we  must  conclude,  from  the  repeated  in- 
stances in  which  Christ’s  biographers  have  ascribed  to  him  all 
the  foibles,  frailties,  and  finite  qualities  and  characteristics  of  a 
human  being*  that  if  they  have  in  any  instance  called  him  a 
22 


338 


THE  WORLD 9 S SAVIORS. 


God  in  a divine  sense,  it  is  an  egregious  misnomer.  Their  cfe- 
scription  of  him  makes  him  a man,  and  but  a man,  whatever 
may  have  been  their  opinion  with  respect  to  the  propriety  of 
calling  him  a God.  And  if  the  two  do  not  harmonize,  the  for- 
mer must  rule  the  judgment  in  all  cases.  . The  truth  is,  the 
Jewish  founders  of  Christianity  entertained  such  a low,  narrow, 
contracted,  and  mean  opinion  of  Deity  and  the  infinite  distinc- 
tion and  distance  between  the  divine  and  the  human,  that  their 
theology  reduced  him  to  a level  with  man ; and  hence  they 
usually  described  him  as  a man. 


CHRIST'S  DIVINITY. 


339 


CHAPTER  XL. 

A METONYMIC  VIEW  OF  THE  DIVINITY  OF  JESUS 
CHRIST. 

If  Jesus  Christ  were  truly  God,  or  if  there  existed  such  a 
co-equal  and  co-essential  oneness  between  the  Father  and  the 
Son  that  they  constituted  but  one  being  or  divine  essence, 
then  what  is  true  of  one  is  true  of  the  other,  and  a change  of 
names  and  titles  from  one  to  the  other  cannot  alter  the  sense 
of  the  text.  Let  us,  then,  substitute  the  titles  found  applied  to 
the  Son  in  the  New  Testament,  to  the  Father,  and  observe  the 
effect : — 

“My  Son  is  greater  than  I.”  (John  viii.  28.) 

“ God  can  do  nothing  of  himself.”  (John  v.  19.) 

“ I must  be  about  my  Son’s  business.”  (Luke  ii.  49.) 

“The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  not  mine  to  give,  but  the  Son’s.” 
(Matt.  xx.  23.) 

“ I am  come  in  my  Son’s  name,  and  ye  receive  me  not.” 
(John  v.  43.) 

“God  cried,  Jesus,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?”  (Matt, 
xiii.  28.) 

“No  man  hath  seen  Jesus  at  any  time.”  (1  John  i.  5.) 

“ Jesus  created  all  things  by  his  Son.”  (Eph.  iii.  9.) 

“ God  sat  down  (in  heaven)  at  the  right  hand  of  Jesus.” 
(Luke  xxii.  69.) 

“ There  is  one  Jesus,  one  mediator  between  Jesus  and  men.” 
(Gal.  iii.  20.) 

“ Jesus  gave  his  only  begotten  Father.”  (1  John  iv.  9.) 

“ God  knows  not  the  hour,  but  Jesus  does.”  (Mark 
viii.  32.) 


343 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


“ God  is  the  servant  of  Jesus.”  (Mark  xii.  18.) 

“ God  is  ordained  by  Jesus.”  (Acts  xvii.  31.) 

“The  head  of  God  is  Christ.”  (Eph.  i.  3.) 

“We  have  an  advocate  with  Jesus,  God  the  righteous.”  (J 
John  ii.  1.) 

“Jesus  gave  all  power  to  God.”  (Matt,  xxviii.  18.) 

“ God  abode  all  night  in  prayer  to  Jesus.”  (Luke  vi.  12.) 

“ God  came  down  from  heaven  to  do  the  will  of  Jesus.'1 
(John  vi.  38.) 

“Jesus  has  made  the  Father  his  high  priest.”  (Heb 
x.  24.) 

“ Last  of  all,  the  Son  sent  the  Father.”  (Matt.  xxi.  39.) 

“Jesus  will  save  the  world  by  that  God  whom  he  hath 
ordained  ” 

“Jesus  is  God  of  the  Father.”  (John  xx.  17.) 

“Jesus  hath  exalted  God,  and  given  him  a more  excellent 
name.”  (Phil.  ii.  9.) 

“Jesus  hath  made  God  a little  lower  than  the  angels” 
(Heb.  ii.  9.) 

“God  can  do  nothing  except  what  he  seeth  Jesus  do.”  (John 
v.  19.) 

Now,  the  question  arises,  Is  the  above  representation  a true 
one?  Most  certainly  it  must  be,  if  Jesus  and  the  Father  are 
but  one  almighty  Being.  A change  of  names  and  titles  can- 
not alter  the  truth  nor  the  sense. 

To  say  that  Chief  Justice  Chase  has  gone  south;  Secretary 
Chase  has  gone  south ; Governor  Chase  has  gone  south ; Ex- 
Senator  Chase  has  gone  south,  or  Salmon  P.  Chase  has  gone 
south,  are  affirmations  equally  true  and  equally  sensible,  because 
they  all  have  reference  to  the  same  being ; the  case  is  too 
plain  to  need  argument. 

The  above  reversal  of  names  and  titles  of  Jesus  and  the 
Father  may  sound  very  unpleasant  and  rather  grating  to 
Christ-adoring  Christians,  simply  because  it  is  the  transposi- 
tion of  the  titles  of  two  very  scripturally  dissimilar  beings, 
instead  of  being,  as  generally  taught  by  orthodox  Christians, 
“ one  in  essence,  one  in  mind,  one  in  body  or  being,  and  one 


CHRIST'S  D IVIN  ITT. 


341 


in  name,”  as  the  Rev.  Mr.  Barnes  affirms.  Most  self-evidently 
false  is  his  statement,  based  solely  on  scriptural  ground.  If 
Jesus  is  “ very  God,”  and  there  is  but  one  God , then  the  fore- 
going transposition  cannot  mar  the  sense  nor  alter  the  truth 
of  one  text  quoted. 


842 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

THE  PRECEPTS  AND  PRACTICAL  LIFE  OF  JESUS 

CHRIST. 

His  Two  Hundred  Errors. 

The  exaltation  of  men  to  the  character  and  homage  of  divine 
beings  has  always  had  the  effect  to  draw  a vail  over  their  errors 
and  imperfections,  so  as  to  render  them  imperceptible  to  those 
who  worship  them  as  Gods.  This  is  true  of  nearly  all  the  dei- 
fied men  of  antiquity,  who  were  adored  as  incarnate  divinities, 
among  which  may  be  included  the  Christian’s  man*- God,  Jesus 
Christ.  The  practice  of  the  followers  of  these  Gods  has  been, 
when  an  error  was  pointed  out  in  their  teachings,  brought  to 
light  by  the  progress  of  science  and  general  intelligence,  to  be- 
stow upon  the  text  some  new  and  unwarranted  meaning,  entirely 
incompatible  with  its  literal  reading,  or  else  to  insist  with  a godly 
zeal  on  the  correctness  of  the  sentiment  inculcated  by  the  text, 
and  thus  essay  to  make  error  pass  for  truth.  In  this  way  millions 
of  the  disciples  of  these  Gods  have  been  misled  and  blinded,  and 
made  to  believe  by  their  religious  teachers  and  their  religious 
education,  that  everything  taught  by  their  assumed-to-be  divine 
exemplars  is  perfect  truth,  in  perfect  harmony  with  science, 
sense,  and  true  morals.  Indeed,  the  perversion  of  the  mind  and 
judgment  by  a religious  education  has  been  in  many  cases 
carried  to  such  an  extreme  as  to  cause  their  devout  and  preju- 
diced followers  either  to  entirely  overlook  and  ignore  their 
erroneous  teachings,  or  to  magnify  them  into  God-given  truths, 
and  thus,  as  before  stated,  clothe  error  with  the  livery  of  truth. 
This  state  of  things,  it  has  long  been  noticed  by  unprejudiced 
Uiinds?  exists  amongst  the  milliojis  of  professed  believers  in  the 


1RECEPTS  OF  JESUS. 


343 


divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  Hence  the  errors,  both  in  his  moral 
lessons  and  his  practical  life,  have  passed  from  age  to  age  unno- 
ticed, because  his  pious  and  awe-stricken  followers,  having  been 
taught  that  he  was  a divine  teacher,  have  assumed  that  his 
teachings  must  all  be  true ; and  hence,  too,  have  instituted  no 
serutiny  to  determine  their  truth  or  falsity.  But  we  will  now 
proceed  to  show  that  the  progress  of  science  and  general  intel- 
ligence has  brought  to  light  many  errors,  not  only  in  his  teach- 
ings, but  in  his  practical  life  also.  In  enumerating  them,  we 
will  arrange  them  under  the  head 

Moral  and  Religious  Errors . 

1 . The  first  moral  precept  in  the  teachings  of  Christ,  which 
we  will  bring  to  notice,  is  one  of  a numerous  class,  which 
may  very  properly  be  arranged  under  the  head  of  Moral  Ex- 
tremism. We  find  many  of  his  admonitions  of  this  character. 
Nearly  everything  that  is  said  is  over  said,  carried  to  extremes 
— thus  constituting  an  overwrought,  extravagant  system  of 
morality,  impracticable  in  its  requisitions;  as,  for  example, 
“ Take  no  thought  for  the  morrow.”  (Matt,  v.)  If  the  spirit 
of  this  injunction  were  carried  out  in  practical  life,  there  would 
be  no  grain  sown  and  no  seed  planted  in  spring,  no  reaping 
done  in  harvest,  and  no  crop  garnered  in  autumn  ; and  the 
result  would  be  universal  starvation  in  less  than  twelve  mouths. 
But,  fortunately  for  society,  the  Christian  world  have  laid  this 
positive  injunction  upon  the  table  under  the  rule  of  “indefinite 
postponement.” 

2.  Christ’s  assumed-to-be  most  important  requisition  is  found 
in  the  injunction,  “Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
his  righteousness,  and  all  else  shall  be  added  unto  you.”  (Matt, 
vi.  33.)  His  early  followers  understood  by  this  injunction,  and 
doubtless  understood  it  correctly,  that  they  were  to  spend  their 
lives  in  religious  devotion,  and  neglect  the  practical  duties  of 
life,  leaving  44  Providence  ” to  take  care  of  their  families  — a 
course  of  life  which  reduced  many  of  them  to  the  point  of  star- 
vation. 

3.  The  disciple  of  Christ  is  required,  “ when  smitten  on  one 
cheek,  to  turn  the  other  also ; ” that  is,  when  one  cheek  is  pom- 


344 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


meled  into  a jelly  by  some  vile  miscreant  or  drunken  wretch, 
turn  the  other,  to  be  smashed  up  in  like  manner.  This  is  an 
extravagant  requisition,  which  none  of  his  modern  disciples 
even  attempt  to  observe. 

4.  “ Resist  not  evil  ” (Matt.  v.  34)  breathes  forth  a kindred 
spirit.  This  injunction  requires  you  to  stand  with  your  hands 
in  your  pocket  while  being  maltreated  so  cruelly  and  unmerci- 
fully that  the  forfeiture  of  your  life  may  be  the  consequence  — 
at  least  Christ’s  early  followers  so  understood  it. 

5.  The  disciple  of  Christ  is  required,  when  his  cloak  is  for- 
mally wrested  from  him,  to  give  up  his  coat  also.  (See  Matt. 

v. )  And  to  carry  out  the  principle,  if  the  marauder  demands 
it,  he  must  next  give  up  his  boots,  then  his  shirt,  and  thus  strip 
himself  of  all  his  garments,  and  go  naked.  This  looks  like  an 
invitation  and  bribe  to  robbery. 

6.  “ Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  on  earth.”  (Matt. 

vi.  19.)  This  is  another  positive  command  of  Christ,  which  the 
modern  Christian  world,  by  common  consent,  have  laid  on  the 
table  under  the  rule  of  “indefinite  postponement,”  under  the 
conviction  that  the  wants  of  their  families  and  the  exigencies 
of  sickness  and  old  age  cannot  be  served  if  they  should  live 
up  to  such  an  injunction. 

7.  “ Sell  all  that  thou  hast,  . . . and  come  and  follow  me,” 
is  another  command  which  bespeaks  more  piety  than  wisdom, 
as  all  who  have  attempted  to  comply  with  it  have  reduced 
their  families  to  beggary  and  want. 

8.  “If  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is 
not  in  him.”  Then  he  must  hate  it,  as  there  are  but  the  two 
principles,  and  “from  hate  proceed  envy,  strife,  evil  surmis- 
ings,  and  persecution.”  Evidently  the  remedy  in  this  case  for 
“worldly-mindedness  ” is  worse  than  the  disease. 

9.  “ He  that  cometh  to  me,  and  hateth  not  father,  mother, 
brother,  and  sister,  &c.,  cannot  be  my  disciple.”  (Luke  xiv. 
26  ) This  breathes  forth  the  same  spirit  as  tne  last  text  quoted 
above.  Many  learned  expositions  have  been  penned  by  Christian 
writers  to  make  it  appear  that  hate  in  this  case  does  not  mean 
hate . But  certainly  it  would  be  a slander  upon  infinite  wis- 
dom to  leave  it  to  be  inferred  that  he  could  not  say  or  “ in- 


PRECEPTS  OF  JESUS. 


845 


spire”  his  disciples  to  say  exactly  what  he  meant,  and  to  say  it 
so  'plainly  as  to  leave  no  possibility  of  being  misunderstood, 
or  leave  any  ground  for  dispute  about  the  meaning. 

10.  “Rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad”  when  persecuted. 
(Matt.  v.  4.)  Now,  as  a state  of  rejoicing  is  the  highest  con- 
dition of  happiness  that  can  be  realized,  such  advice  must 
naturally  prompt  the  religious  zealot  to  court  persecution,  in 
order  to  obtain  complete  happiness,  and  consequently  to  pursue 
a dare-devil  life  to  provoke  persecution. 

11.  u Whosoever  shall  seek  to  save  his  life,  shall  lose  it,”  &c. 
(Luke  xvii.  33.)  Here  is  displayed  the  spirit  of  martyrdom 
which  has  made  millions  reckless  of  life,  and  goaded  on  the 
frenzied  bigot  to  seek  the  fiery  fagot  and  the  halter.  We  re- 
gard it  as  another  display  of  religious  fanaticism. 

12.  “ Ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name’s  sake.”  (Matt, 
x.  12.)  How  repulsive  must  have  been  their  doctrines  or  their 
conduct ! No  sensible  religion  could  excite  the  universal  hatred 
of  mankind.  For  it  would  contain  somethmg  adapted  to  the 
moral,  religious,  or  spiritual  taste  of  some  class  or  portion  of 
society,  and  hence  make  it  and  its  disciples  loved  instead  of 
hated.  And  then  how  could  they  be  “hated  of  all  men,”  when 
not  one  man  in  a thousand  ever  heard  of  them?  Here  is  more 
of  the  extravagance  of  religious  enthusiasm. 

13.  “Shake  off  the  dust  of  your  feet”  against  those  who  can- 
not see  the  truth  or  utility  of  your  doctrines.  (Matt.  x.  14.) 
Here  Christ  encourages  in  his  disciples  a spirit  of  contemj)t 
for  the  opinions  of  others  calculated  to  make  them  “ hated.”  A 
proper  regard  for  the  rules  of  good-breeding  would  have  for- 
bidden-such  rudeness  toward  strangers  for  a mere  honest  differ- 
ence of  opinion. 

14.  “Take  nothing  for  your  journey,  neither  staff,  nor  scrip, 
nor  purse  ” (Mark  vi.  8)  ; that  is,  “ sponge  on  your  friends,  and 
force  yourselves  on  your  enemies,”  the  latter  class  of  which 
seem  to  have  been  much  the  most  numerous.  A preacher  who 
should  attempt  to  carry  out  this  advice  at  the  present  day  would 
be  stopped  at  the  first  toll-gate,  and  compelled  to  return. 
Here  is  more  violation  of  the  rules  of  good-breeding,  and  the 
common  courtesies  of  civilized  life. 


846 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


15.  “ Go  and  teach  all  nations,”  &c.  Why  issue  an  injunc- 
tion that  could  not  possibly  be  carried  out  ? It  never  has  been, 
and  never  will  be,  executed,  for  three  fourths  of  the  human  race 
have  never  yet  heard  of  Christianity.  It  was  not,  therefore,  a 
mark  of  wisdom,  or  a superior  mind,  to  issue  such  an  injunc- 
tion. 

16.  “ And  he  that  belie veth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved ; 
but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.”  What  intolerance, 
bigotry,  relentless  cruelty,  and  ignorance  of  the  science  of 
mind  are  here  displayed ! No  philosopher  would  give  utter- 
ance to,  or  indorse  such  a sentiment.  It  assumes  that  belief 
is  a creature  of  the  will,  and  that  a man  can  believe  anything 
he  chooses,  which  is  wide  of  the  truth.  And  the  assumption 
has  been  followed  by  persecution,  misery,  and  bloodshed. 

17.  “ All  things  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  prayer,  believing, 
ye  shall  receive.”  (Matt.  xxi.  22.)  Here  is  an  entire  negation 
of  natural  law  in  the  necessity  of  physical  labor  as  a means 
to  procure  the  comforts  of  life.  When  anything  is  wanted  in 
the  shape  of  food  or  raiment,  it  is  to  be  obtained,  according  to 
this  text,  by  going  down  on  your  knees  and  asking  God  to  be- 
stow it.  But  no  Christian  ever  realized  “ all  things  whatso- 
ever asked  for  in  prayer,”  though  “ believing  with  all  his  heart  ” 
he  should  obtain  it.  The  author  knows,  by  his  own  practical 
experience,  that  this  declaration  is  not  true.  This  promise  has 
been  falsified  thousands  of  times  by  thousands  of  praying 
Christians. 

18.  “Be  not  called  rabbi.”  “Call  no  man  your  father.” 
(Matt,  xxiii.)  The  Christian  world  assume  that  much  of  what 
Christ  taught  is  mere  idle  nonsense,  or  the  incoherent  utterings 
of  a religious  fanatic;  for  they  pay  no  more  practical  atten- 
tion to  it  than  the  barking  of  a dog.  And  here  is  one  com- 
mand treated  in  this  manner : “ Call  no  man  father.”  Where 
is  the  Christian  who  refuses  to  call  his  earthly  sire  a father? 

19.  “ Call  no  man  master.”  (Matt,  xxiii.)  And  yet  mister, 
which  is  the  same  thing,  is  the  most  common  title  in  Christen- 
dom. 

20.  He  who  enunciates  the  two  words,  “‘Thou  fool,’ shall 
be  in  danger  of  hell  fire.”  (Matt,  xxii.'l  Mercy ! Who,  then, 


PRECEPTS  OF  JESUS . 


347 


can  be  saved  ? For  there  is  probably  not  a live  Christian  in 
the  world  who  has  not  called  somebody  a “fool,”  when  he 
knew  him  to  be  such,  and  could  not  with  truthfulness  be  called 
anything  else.  Here,  then,  is  another  command  universally 
ignored  and  “ indefinitely  postponed.” 

21.  “Swear  not  at  all,  neither  by  heaven  nor  earth.”  (Matt, 
v.)  And  yet  no  Christian  refuses  to  indulge  in  legal,  if  not  pro- 
fane, swearing  which  the  text  evidently  forbids. 

22.  “Men  ought  always  to  pray.”  (Luke  xviii.)  No 
time  to  be  allowed  for  eating  or  sleeping.  More  religious 
fanaticism. 

23.  “ Whosoever  will  be  chief  among  you  let  him  be  your 
servant  ” (Matt.  xx.  27)  ; that  is,  no  Christian  professor  shall 
be  a president,  governor,  major-general,  deacon,  or  priest. 
Another  command  laid  on  the  table. 

24.  “Love  your  enemies.”  (Matt.  v.  44.)  Then  what  kind 
of  feeling  should  we  cultivate  toward  friends  ? And  how  much 
did  he  love  his  enemies  when  he  called  them  “ fools,”  “ liars,” 
“ hypocrites,”  “ generation  of  vipers,”  &c.  ? And  yet  he  is  held 
up  as  “ our”  example  in  love,  meekness,  and  forbearance.  But 
no  man  ever  did  love  an  enemy.  It  is  a moral  impossibility, 
as  much  so  as  to  love  bitter  or  nauseating  food.  The  advice 
of  the  Roman  slave  Syrus  is  indicative  of  more  sense  and 
wisdom  — “ Treat  your  enemy  kindly,  and  thus  make  him  a 
friend.” 

25.  We  are  required  to  forgive  an  enemy  four  hundred 
and  ninety  times ; that  is,  “ seventy  times  seven.”  (Matt,  vii.) 
Another  outburst  of  religious  enthusiasm ; another  proof  of  an 
overheated  imagination. 

26.  “ Be  ye  perfect,  even  as  your  Father  in  heaven  is  per- 
fect.” (Matt.  v.  48.)  Here  is  more  of  the  religious  extrava- 
gance of  a mind  uncultured  by  science.  For  it  is  self-evident 
that  human  beings  can  make  no  approximation  to  divine  per* 
fection.  The  distance  between  human  imperfection  and  a per- 
fect God  is,  and  ever  must  be,  infinite. 

27.  Christ  commended  those  who  “ became  eunuchs  for  the 
kingdom  of  heaven’s  sake  ” (Matt.  xix.  12)  — a custom  requiring 
a murderous,  self-butchering  process ; destructive  of  the  energies 


318 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


of  life  and  the  vigor  of  manhood,  and  rendering  the  subject 
weak,  effeminate,  and  mopish,  and  unfit  for  the  business  of  life. 
It  is  a low  species  of  piety,  and  discloses  a lamentable  lack  of  a 
scientific  knowledge  of  the  true  functions  of  the  sexual  organs 
on  the  part  of  Jesus. 

28.  Christ  also  encouraged  t his  disciples  to  “ pluck  out  the 
eye,”  and  “cut  off  the  hand,”  as  a means  of  rendering  it  im- 
possible to  perpetrate  evil  with  those  members.  And  we  would 
suggest,  if  such  advice  is  consistent  with  sound  reasoning,  the 
head  also  should  be  cut  off,  as  a means  of  more  effectually  carry- 
ing out  the  same  principle.  Such  advice  never  came  from  the 
mouth  of  a philosopher.  It  is  a part  of  Christ’s  system  of  ex- 
travagant piety. 

29.  He  also  taught  the  senseless,  oriental  tradition  of  “ the 
unpardonable  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost”  — a fabulous  being, 
who  figured  more  anciently  in  the  history  of  various  countries. 
(See  Chapter  XXII.)  No  philosopher  or  man  of  science  could 
harbor  such  childish  conceptions  as  are  embodied  in  this  tradi- 
tion, which  neither  describes  the  being  nor  explains  the  nature 
of  the  sin. 

80.  We  find  many  proofs,  in  Christ’s  Gospel  history,  that  ha 
believed  in  the  ancient  heathen  tradition  which  taught  that 
disease  is  caused  by  demons  and  evil  spirits.  (See  Luke  vii. 
21,  and  viii.  2.) 

81.  Many  cases  are  reported  of  his  relieving  the  obsessed  by 
casting  out  the  diabolical  intruders,  in  imitation  of  the  oriental 
custom  long  in  vogue  in  various  couutries,  by  which  he  evinced 
a profound  ignorance  of  the  natural  causes  of  disease. 

82.  Christ  also  taught  the  old  pagan  superstition  that  “ God 
is  a God  of  anger,”  while  modern  science  teaches  that  it  would 
be  as  impossible  for  a God  of  perfect  and  infinite  attributes  to 
experience  the  feeling  of  anger  as  to  commit  suicide  ; and  recent 
discoveries  in  physiology  prove  that  anger  is  a species  of  sui- 
cide, and  that  it  is  also  a species  of  insanity.  Hence  an 
angry  God  would  be  an  insane  God  — an  omnipotent  lunatic, 
“ ruling  the  kingdom  of  heaven,”  which  would  make  heaven  a 
lunatic  asylum , and  rather  a dangerous  place  to  live. 

83.  And  Christ’s  injunction  to  “ fear  God  ” also  implies  that 


PRECEPTS  OF  JESUS . 


349 


he  is  an  angry  being.  (See  Luke  xxiii.  40.)  But  past  history 
proves  that  “ the  fear  of  God  ” has  always  been  the  great  lever 
of  priestcraft,  and  the  most  paltry  and  pitiful  motive  that  ever 
moved  the  human  mind.  It  has  paralyzed  the  noblest  intel- 
lects, crushed  the  elasticity  of  youth,  and  augmented  the  hesi- 
tating indecision  of  old  age,  and  finally  filled  the  world  with 
cowardly,  trembling  slaves.  No  philosopher  will  either  love  or 
worship  a God  he  fears.  “ The  fear  of  the  Lord  ” is  a very 
ancient  heathen  superstition. 

34.  The  inducement  Christ  holds  out  for  leading  a virtuous 
life  by  the  promise  of  “ Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  ser- 
vant,” bespeaks  a childish  ignorance  of  the  nature  of  the  human 
mind  and  the  true  science  of  life.  It  ranks  with  the  promise 
of  the  nurse  of  sugar-plums  to  the  boy  if  he  would  keep  his 
garments  unsoiled.  (For  the  remainder  of  the  two  hundred 
errors  of  Christ,  see  Yol.  II.) 

There  are  many  other  errors  found  in  the  precepts  and  prac- 
tical life  of  Jesus  Christ  (which  we  are  compelled  to  omit  an 
exposition  of  here),  such  as  his  losing  his  temper,  and  abusing 
the  money-changers  by  overthrowing  their  counting-table,  and 
expelling  them  from  the  temple  with  a whip  of  cords  when  en- 
gaged in  a lawful  and  laudable  business ; his  getting  mad  at  and 
cursing  the  fig  tree ; his  dooming  Capernaum  to  hell  in  a fit  of 
anger ; his  being  deceived  by  two  of  his  disciples  (Peter  and 
Judas),  which  prompted  him  to  call  them  devils;  his  implied 
approval  of  David,  with  his  fourteen  crimes  and  penitentiary 
deeds,  and  also  of  Abraham,  with  his  falsehoods,  polygamy,  and 
incest,  and  his  implied  sanction  of  the  Old  Testament,  with  all 
its  errors  and  numerous,  crimes ; his  promise  to  his  twelve 
apostles  to  “ sit  upon  the  twelve  thrones  of  Israel  ” in  heaven, 
thus  evincing  a very  limited  and  childish  conception  of  the  en- 
joyments of  the  future  life  ; his  puerile  idea  of  sin,  consisting  in 
a personal  affront  to  a personal  God ; his  omission  to  say  any- 
thing about  human  freedom,  the  inalienable  rights  of  man,  &c. 

The  Scientific  Errors  of  Christ . 

That  Jesus  Christ  was  neither  a natural  or  moral  philosopher 
is  evident  from  the  following  facts  : — 


850 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


1.  He  never  made  any  use  of  the  word  “philosophy.” 

2.  Never  gave  utterance  to  the  word  “ science.” 

3.  Never  spoke  of  a natural  law,  or  assigned  a natural  cause 
for  anything.  The  fact  that  he  never  made  use  of  these  words 
now  so  current  in  all  civilized  countries,  is  evidence  that  he 
was  totally  ignorant  of  these  important  branches  of  knowledge, 
the  cultivation  of  which  is  now  known  to  be  essential  to  the 
progress  of  civilization.  And  yet  it  is  claimed  his  religion  has 
been  a great  lever  in  the  advancement  of  civilization.  But  this 
is  a mistake  — a solemn  mistake,  as  elsewhere  shown.  (See 
Chap.  XLV.) 

4.  Everything  to  Christ  was  miracle;  everything  was  pro- 
duced and  controlled  by  the  arbitrary  power  of  an  angry  or 
irascible  God.  He  evidently  had  no  idea  of  a ruling  principle 
in  nature  or  of  the  existence  of  natural  law,  as  controlling  any 
event  he  witnessed.  Hence  he  set  no  bounds  to  anything,  and 
recognized  no  limits  to  the  possible.  He  believed  God  to  be 
a supernatural  personal  being,  who  possessed  unlimited  power, 
and  who  ruled  and  controlled  everything  by  his  arbitrary  will, 
without  any  law  or  any  limitation  to  its  exercises.  Hence  he 
told  his  disciples  they  would  have  anything  they  prayed  for  in 
faith  ; that  by  faith  they  could  roll  mountains  into  the  sea,  or 
bring  to  a halt  the  rolling  billows  of  the  mighty  deep.  He 
evidently  believed  that  the  forked  lightning,  the  outbursting 
earth-shaking  thunder,  and  the  roaring,  heaving  volcano  were 
but  pliant  tools  or  obsequious  servants  to  the  man  of  faith. 
And  he  displays  no  less  ignorance  of  the  laws  of  mind  than 
the  laws  of  nature ; thus  proving  him  to  have  been  neither  a 
natural,  moral,  nor  mental  philosopher.  He  omitted  to  teach 
the  great  moral  lessons  learned  by  human  experience,  of  which 
he  was  evidently  totally  ignorant. 

5.  He  never  taught  that  the  practice  of  virtue  contains  its 
own  reward. 

6.  That  the  question  of  right  and  wrong  of  any  action  is  to 
be  decided  by  its  effect  upon  the  individual,  or  upon  society. 

7.  That  no  life  can  be  displeasing  to  God  which  is  useful  to 
man. 

8.  And  he  omitted  to  teach  the  most  important  lesson  that 


PRECEPTS  OF  JFSUS , 


351 


can  engage  the  attention  of  man,  viz. : that  the  great  purpose 
of  life  is  self-development. 

9.  That  no  person  can  attain  or  approximate  to  real  happi- 
ness without  bestowing  a special  attention  to  the  cultivation 
and  exercise  of  all  the  mental  and  physical  faculties,  so  far  as 
to  keep  them  in  a healthy  condition.  None  of  the  important 
lessons  above  named  are  hinted  at  in  his  teachings,  which,  if 
punctually  observed,  would  do  more  to  advance  the  happiness 
of  the  human  race  than  all  the  sermons  Christ  or  Chrishna  ever 
preached,  or  ever  taught. 

10.  And  then  he  taught  many  doctrines  which  are  plainly 
contradicted  by  the  established  principle  of  modern  science, 
such  as,  — 

11.  Disease  being  produced  by  demons,  devils,  or  wicked 
spirits.  (See  Mark  ix.  20.) 

Christ  nowhere  assigns  a natural  cause  for  disease,  or  a 
scientific  explanation  for  its  cure. 

12.  His  rebuking  a fever  discloses  a similar  lack  of  scientific 
knowledge.  (See  Luke  iv.  39.) 

13.  His  belief  in  a literal  hell  and  a lake  of  fire  and  brim- 
stone (see  Matt,  xviii.  8)  is  an  ancient  heathen  superstition 
science  knows  nothing  about,  and  has  no  use  for. 

14.  His  belief  in  a personal  devil  also  (see  Matt.  xvii.  18), 
which  is  another  oriental  tradition,  furnishes  more  sad  proof  of 
an  utter  want  of  scientific  knowledge,  as  science  has  no  place 
for  and  no  use  for  such  a being. 

15.  Christ  taught  the  unphilosophical  doctrine  of  repentance, 
as  he  declared  he  “ came  to  call  sinners  to  repentance”  (Matt, 
ix.  13)  — a mental  process,  which  consists  merely  in  a revival  of 
early  impressions,  and  often  leads  a person  to  condemn  that 
which  is  right,  as  well  as  that  which  is  wrong.  (For  proof,  see 
Chapter  XLIII.) 

16.  The  doctrine  of  “ forgiveness,”  which  Christ  so  often  in 
culcated,  is  also  at  variance  with  the  teachings  of  science,  as  it 
can  do  nothing  toward  changing  the  nature  of  the  act  forgiven, 
or  toward  cancelling  its  previous  effects  upon  society.  Science 
teaches  that  every  crime  has  its  penalty  attached  to  it,  which 
no  act  of  forgiveness,  by  God  or  man,  can  arrest  or  set  aside. 


352 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


17.  But  nothing  evinces,  perhaps,  more  clearly  Christ’s  total 
lack  of  scientific  knowledge  than  his  holding  a man  responsible 
for  his  belief,  and  condemning  for  disbelief,  as  he  does  in  nu- 
merous instances  (see  Mark  xvi.  16),  for  a man  could  as  easily 
control  the  circulation  of  the  blood  in  his  veins  as  control  his 
belief.  Science  teaches  that  belief  depends  upon  evidence, 
and  without  it,  it  is  impossible  to  believe , and  with  it,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  disbelieve . How  foolish  and  un philosophical,  therefore, 
to  condemn  for  either  belief  or  disbelief! 

18.  The  numerous  cases  in  which  Christ  speaks  of  the  heart 
as  being  the  seat  of  consciousness,  instead  of  the  brain,  evinces 
a remarkable  ignorance  of  the  science  of  mental  philosophy. 
He  speaks  of  an  “upright  heart,”  “a  pure  heart,”  &c.,  when 
“an  upright  liver,”  “a  pure  liver,”  would  be  as  sensible,  as 
the  latter  has  as  much  to  do  with  the  character  as  the  former. 

19.  And  the  many  cases  in  which  he  makes  it  meritorious  to 
have  a right  “faith,”  and  places  it  above  reason,  and  assumes 
it  to  be  a voluntary  act,  shows  his  utter  ignorance  of  the  nature 
of  the  human  mind. 

20.  And  Christ  evinced  a remarkable  ignorance  of  the  cause 
of  physical  defects,  when  he  told  his  hearers  a certain  man  was 
born  blind,  in  order  that  he  might  cure  him.  (Matt.  vii.  22.) 

21.  And  Christ’s  declaration,  that  those  who  marry  are  not 
worthy  of  being  saved  (see  Luke  xx.  34),  shows  that  he  was 
very  ignorant  of  the  nature  of  the  sexual  functions  of  the 
human  system. 

22.  Nothing  could  more  completely  demonstrate  a total 
ignorance  of  the  grand  science  of  astronomy  than  Christ’s  pre- 
diction of  the  stars  falling  to  the  earth.  (See  Luke  xxi.  25.) 

23.  And  the  conflagration  of  the  world,  “ the  gathering  of 
the  elect,”  and  the  realization  of  a fancied  millennium,  which 
he  several  times  predicted  would  take  place  in  his  time,  “ before 
this  generation  pass  away”  (Matt.  xxiv.  34),  proves  a like 
ignorance,  both  of  astronomy  and  philosophy. 

24.  And  his  cursing  of  the  fig  tree  for  not  bearing  fruit  in 
the  winter  season  (see  Matt.  xxi.  20),  not  only  proves  his 
ignorance  of  the  laws  of  nature,  but  evinces  a bad  temper. 

25.  Christ  indorses  the  truth  of  Noah’s  flood  story  (see  Luke 


PRECEPTS  OF  JESUS . 


353 


xvii.  27),  which  every  person  at  the  present  day,  versed  in 
science  and  natural  law,  knows  is  mere  fiction,  and  never  took 
place. 

And  numerous  other  errors,  evincing  the  most  profound 
ignorance  of  science  and  natural  law,  might  be  pointed  out  in 
Christ’s  teachings,  if  we  had  space  for  them.  It  has  always 
been  alleged  by  orthodox  Christendom,  that  Christ’s  teach- 
ing and  moral  system  are  so  faultless  as  to  challenge  criticism, 
and  so  perfect  as  to  defy  improvement.  But  this  is  a serious 
mistake.  For  most  of  his  precepts  and  moral  inculcations 
which  are  not  directly  at  war  with  the  principles  of  science,  or 
do  not  involve  a flagrant  violation  of  the  laws  of  nature,  are? 
nevertheless,  characterized  by  a lawless  and  extravagant  mode 
of  expression  peculiar  to  semi-savage  life,  and  which,  as  it 
renders  it  impossible  to  reduce  them  to  practice,  shows  they 
could  not  have  emanated  from  a philosopher,  or  man  of  science, 
or  a man  of  evenly-balanced  mind.  They  impose  upon  the 
world  a system  of  morality,  pushed  to  such  extremes  that  its 
own  professed  admirers  do  not  live  it  out,  or  even  attempt  to 
do  so.  They  long  ago  abandoned  it  as  an  impracticable  duty. 
We  will  prove  this  by  enumerating  most  of  its  requisitions,  and 
showing  that  they  are  daily  violated  and  trampled  under  foot 
by  all  Christendom.  Where  can  the  Christian  professor  be 
found  who,  1.  “takes  no  thought  for  the  morrow;”  or,  2.  who 
“ lays  not  up  treasure  on  earth,”  or,  at  least,  tries  to  do  it ; or,  3. 
who  “gives  up  all  his  property  to  the  poor ; ” or  who,  “ when 
his  cloak  is  wrested  from  him  by  a robber,  gives  up  his  coat 
also ; or  who  calls  no  man  master  or  mister  (the  most  common 
title  in  Christendom)  ; or  who  calls  no  man  father  (if  he  has  a 
father)  ; or  who  calls  no  man  a fool  (when  he  knows  he  is  a fool)  ; 
or  who,  when  one  cheek  is  pommeled  into  a jelly  by  some  vile 
miscreant  or  drunken  wretch,  turns  the  other  to  be  battered  up 
in  the  same  way  ; or  who  prays  without  ceasing ; or  who  rejoices 
when  persecuted ; or  who  forgives  an  enemy  four  hundred  and 
ninety  times  (70  times  7)  ; or  who  manifests  by  his  practical 
life  that  he  loves  his  enemies  (the  way  he  loves  him  is  to 
report  him  to  the  grand  jury,  or  hand  him  over  to  the  sheriff)  ; 
or  who  forsakes  houses  and  land,  and  everything,  “for  the  king- 
23 


354 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


clom  of  heaven  sake.”  No  Christian  professor  lives  up  to  these 
precepts,  or  any  of  them,  or  even  tries  to  do  so.  To  talk,  there 
fore,  of  finding  a practical  Christian,  while  nearly  the  whole 
moral  code  of  Christ  is  thus  daily  and  habitually  outraged  and 
trampled  under  foot  by  all  the  churches  and  every  one  of  the 
two  hundred  millions  of  Christian  professors,  is  bitter  irony  and 
supreme  solecism.  We  would  go  five  hundred  miles,  or  pay 
five  hundred  dollars,  to  see  a Christian.  If  a man  can  be  a 
Christian  while  openly  and  habitually  violating  every  precept 
of  Christ,  then  the  word  has  no  meaning.  These  precepts,  the 
Christian  world  finding  to  be  impossible  to  practice,  have  unan- 
imously laid  upon  the  table  under  the  rule  of  “indefinite  post- 
ponement.” They  are  the  product  of  a mind  with  an  ardent 
temperament,  and  the  religious  faculties  developed  to  excess, 
and  unrestrained  by  scientific  or  intellectual  culture.  A simi- 
lar vein  of  extravagant  religious  duty  is  found  in  the  Essenian, 
Budhist,  and  Pythagorean  systems.  As  Zera  Colburn  possessed 
the  mathematical  faculty  to  excess,  and  Jenny  Lind  the  musical 
talent,  Christ  in  like  manner  was  all  religion.  And  from  the 
extreme  ardor  of  his  religious  feeling,  thus  derived,  sprang  his 
extravagant  notions  of  the  duties  of  life.  This  peculiarity  of 
his  organization  explains  the  whole  mystery. 

Christ  as  a Man,  and  Christ  as  a Sectarian. 

To  every  observant  and  unbiased  mind  a strange  contrast 
must  be  visible  in  the  practical  life  of  Jesus  Christ  when  viewed 
in  his  twofold  capacity  of  a man  and  a priest.  While  standing 
upon  the  broad  plane  of  humanity,  with  his  deep  sympathetic 
nature  directed  toward  the  poor,  the  unfortunate,  and  the  down- 
trodden, there  often  gushed  forth  from  his  impassioned  bosom 
the  most  sublime  expressions  of  pity,  and  the  strongest  out- 
burst of  commiseration  for  wrongs  and  sufferings,  and  his  noble 
goodness  and  tender  love  yearned  with  a throbbing  heart  to 
relieve  them.  But  the  moment  he  put  on  the  sacerdotal  robe, 
and  assumed  the  character  of  a priest,  that  moment,  if  any  one 
crossed  his  path  by  refusing  to  yield  to  his  requisitions  of  faith, 
or  dissented  from  his  religious  creed,  his  whole  nature  was 
seemingly  changed.  It  was  no  longer,  “ Blessed  are  ye,”  but 


PRECEPTS  OF  jfESUS. 


355 


“Cursed  are  ye,”  or  “Woe  unto  you.”  Like  the  founders  of 
other  religious  systems,  he  was  ardent  toward  friends  and  bit- 
ter toward  enemies,  and  extolled  his  own  religion,  while  he 
denounced  all  others.  His  way  was  the  only  way,  and  a 1 who 
did  not  walk  therein,  or  conform  thereto,  were  loaded  with 
curses  and  imprecations,  and  all  who  could  not  accomplish 
the  impossible  mental  achievement  of  believing  everything  he 
set  forth  or  urged  upon  their  credence,  and  that,  too,  without 
evidence , were  to  be  eternally  damned.  All  who  climbed  up 
any  other  way  were  thieves  and  robbers.  All  who  professed 
faith  in  any  other  religion  than  his  were  on  the  road  to  hell. 
Like  the  oriental  Gods,  he  taught  that  the  world  was  to  be 
saved  through  faith  in  him  and  his  religion.  All  who  did  not 
honor  him  were  to  be  dishonored  by  the  Father.  And  “ with- 
out faith  (in  him  and  his  religion),  it  is  impossible  to  please 
God.”  He  declared  that  all  who  were  not  for  him  were  against 
him ; and  all  who  were  not  on  the  same  road  are  “ heathens 
and  publicans.”  His  disciples  were  enjoined  to  shake  off  the 
dust  from  their  feet  as  a manifestation  of  displeasure  toward 
those  who  could  not  conscientiously  subscribe  to  their  creeds 
and  dogmas.  Thus  we  discover  a strong  vein  of  intolerance 
and  sectarianism  in  the  religion  of  the  otherwise,  and  in  other 
respects,  the  kind  and  loving  Jesus.  Though  most  benignantly 
kind  and  affectionate  while  moving  and  acting  under  the  con- 
trolling impulses  of  his  lofty  manhood,  yet  when  his  ardent  re- 
ligious feelings  were  touched,  he  became  chafed,  irritated,  and 
sometimes  intolerant.  He  then  could  tolerate  no  such  thing  as 
liberty  of  conscience,  or  freedom  of  thought,  or  the  right  to 
differ  with  him  in  religious  belief.  His  extremely  ardent  devo- 
tional nature,  when  roused  into  action  in  defense  of  a stereo- 
typed faith,  eclipsed  his  more  noble,  lofty,  and  lovely  traits, 
and  often  dimmed  his  mental  vision,  thus  presenting  in  the  same 
individual  a strange  medley,  and  a strange  contrast  of  the  most 
opposite  traits  of  character.  That  such  a being  should  have 
been  considered  and  worshiped  as  a God,  and  for  the  very 
reason  that  he  possessed  such  strange,  contradictory  traits  of 
character,  and  often  let  his  religion  run  riot  with  his  reason, 
will  be  looked  upon  by  posterity  as  one  of  the  strangest  chap- 


856 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


ters  in  the  history  of  the  human  race.  But  so  it  is.  Extraor- 
dinary good  qualities,  though  intermingled  with  many  errors 
and  human  foibles,  have  deified  many  men. 

Note.  One  Christian  writer  alleges,  in  defense  of  the  objectionabU 
precepts  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  “He  taught  some  errors  in  condescension 
to  the  ignorance  of  the  people.”  If  this  be  true,  that  he  taught  both  truth 
and  falsehood,  then  the  question  arises,  How  can  we  know  which  is  which? 
By  what  rule  can  we  discriminate  them,  as  he  himself  furnishes  none? 
Or  how  are  we  to  determine  that  he  taught  truth  at  all?  And  then 
this  plea  would  account  for  and  excuse  all  the  errors  found  in  the  teach- 
ings of  the  oriental  Gods.  If  it  will  apply  in  one  case,  it  will  in  the  other. 
And  thus  it  proves  too  much. 


CHRIST  AS  A SPIRITUAL  MEDIUM. 


357 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

CHRIST  AS  A SPIRITUAL  MEDIUM. 

There  are  many  incidents  related  in  the  life  of  Christ,  which, 
when  critically  examined,  furnish  abundant  evidence  that  he 
was  what  is  now  known  as  a spiritual  medium.  He  unques- 
tionably represented,  and  often  practically  exhibited,  several 
important  phases  of  modern  mediumship. 

1.  The  many  instantaneous  cures  which  he  wrought,  as  re- 
ported in  his  Gospel  narrative,  performed  in  the  same  manner 
that  “ spirit  doctors  ” now  heal  the  sick,  prove  that  he  was  an 
excellent  “ healing  medium.” 

2.  His  declaration  to  Nathanael,  “ When  thou  wast  under  the 
fig  tree,  I saw  thee,”  and  his  recounting  to  the  woman  of 
Samaria  the  deeds  of  her  past  life  (acts  similar  to  which  are 
now  performed  every  day  by  spiritualists),  are  evidence  that 
he  was  also  a “clairvoyant  medium.” 

3.  His  walking  on  the  water  (if  the  story  is  true),  as  D.  D. 
Home  has  frequently,  within  the  past  few  years,  walked  or 
floated  on  the  air  in  the  presence  of  many  witnesses  (including 
men  of  science,  royal  personages,  and  members  of  parliament), 
entitles  him  to  the  appellation  of  a “ physical  medium.” 

4.  And  the  circumstance  of  his  pointing  his  disciples  to  the 
mark  of  the  spear  in  his  side,  and  the  print  of  the  nails  in  his 
hands,  while  amongst  them  as  a spirit,  has  led  many  spiritualists 
to  conclude  he  was  also  a “ medium  for  materialization.”  His 
spirit  was  made  to  present  the  peculiar  marks  which  had 
been  inflicted  upon  his  physical  body,  cases  parallel  to  which 
are  now  witnessed  every  day  by  modern  spiritualists.  Hun- 
dreds of  cases  have  occurred  of  departed  spirits  presenting 
themselves  to  their  friends  with  all  the  peculiar  marks  which 


858 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


their  physical  bodies  had  long  worn  while  in  the  earth  life. 
And  the  former  physical  wounds  have  often  been  exhibited  by 
the  spirit  in  the  same  manner  Christ  exhibited  his.  And  thus 
spiritualism  explains  the  phenomenon  which  otherwise  would 
be  entirely  incredible. 

5.  And  there  is  yet  another  phase  of  mediumship  which 
Christ  often  exhibited  in  his  practical  life.  He  claimed  to  have 
frequent  intercourse  with  some  invisible  being,  whom  he  called 
“ the  Father.”  But  as  modern  science  has  settled  the  ques- 
tion of  the  personality  of  God  in  the  negative,  we  are  led  to 
conclude  that  Christ,  like  many  eminent  persons  since  his  time, 
mistook  some  finite  spirit  for  the  great  infinite  but  impersonal 
Father  spirit  — though  his  attendant  invisible  companion  was 
probably  a spirit  of  a very  high  order.  And  the  great  beauty 
and  grandeur  of  his  life  are  exhibited  by  his  frequent  intercourse 
with  and  dependence  upon  this  his  “ guardian  spirit.”  He  de- 
clared he  did  nothing  of  himself,  so  dependent  was  he  upon 
his  invisible  guide.  And  the  strongest  proof  that  he  had  a 
spirit  companion,  which  he  often  looked  to  for  counsel  and  aid, 
and  that  this  was  the  being  he  called  the  Father,  is  furnished 
by  the  fact,  that  when  he  prayed  to  the  Father,  his  petition 
was  answered  by  an  angel  spirit.  (See  Luke  xxii.  44.)  And 
there  is  no  account  and  no  evidence  of  any  invisible  or  spirit- 
ual being  ever  presenting  itself  to  him  but  an  angel  or  spirit. 
That  he  should  have  supposed  this  spirit  to  be  the  great  infinite 
Father  God  was  very  natural.  Thousands  since,  and  some  be- 
fore his  time,  committed  a similar  mistake.  The  author  has 
known  several  persons  who  had  long  had  intercourse  with  some 
invisible  being  they  supposed  to  be  God,  who  have  recently,  by 
the  light  afforded  by  modern  spiritualism,  become  entirely  con- 
vinced that  they  had  simply  mistaken  a finite  spirit  for  the  great 
Infinite  Spirit.  And  did  Christ  live  in  our  day,  he  would  proba- 
bly be  rescued  from  a similar  error  in  the  same  way.  In  con- 
clusion, we  will  remark  that  it  was  doubtless  his  frequent  dis- 
plays of  several  very  remarkable  phases  of  spiritual  medium- 
ship  that  contributed  much  to  lead  the  people  into  the  error  of 
supposing  him  to  be  God.  And  this  fact  will  yet  be  known. 


CONVERSION  OF  HEATHEN  ORIGIN 


359 


CHAPTER  XLIXI. 

CONVERSION,  REPENTANCE,  AND  “GETTING 
RELIGION  ” OE  HEATHEN  ORIGIN. 

Their  Numerous  Evils  and  Absurdities. 

Of  all  the  follies  ever  enacted  or  exhibited  under  the 
sun,  and  of  all  the  ignorance  of  history,  science,  and  human 
nature  ever  displayed  in  the  history  of  the  human  race,  that 
which  stands  out  in  bold  relief,  as  pre-eminent,  is  the  fashionable 
custom  of  conversion,  or  “ getting  religion.”  When  the  evi- 
dence lies  all  around  us  as  thick  as  the  fallen  leaves  of  autumn, 
clustering  on  the  pages  of  history,  and  proclaimed  by  every 
principle  of  mental  science,  that  what  is  called  conversion  is 
nothing  but  a mental  and  temperamental  or  nervous  phenom- 
enon— a psychological  process  — how  can  we  rank  those 
amongst  intelligent  people  who  still  claim  it  to  be  “ the  power 
of  God  operating  upon  the  soul  of  the  sinner  ” ? Ignorance  is 
the  only  plea  that  can  acquit  them  of  the  charge  of  imbecility. 
The  number  who  daily  fall  victims  to  this  priestly  delusion  in 
various  parts  of  the  country  may  be  reckoned  by  thousands. 
We  propose  in  this  chapter  to  exhibit  some  of  the  evils  and 
absurdities  of  this  wide-spread  delusion  and  religious  mono- 
mania. To  do  so  the  more  effectually,  we  will  arrange  the 
presentation  of  the  subject  under  four  separate  heads  We 
will  attempt  to  show,  — 

1.  Its  historical  errors. 

2.  Its  logical  errors. 

3.  Its  philosophical  or  scientific  errors. 

4.  Its  moral  evils. 


300 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


1st.  Its  Historical  Errors . — Can  we  conceive  it  possible  that 
the  thousands  of  priests  who  are  now  employed  in  “ converting 
souls  to  God”  are  so  ignorant  of  history  as  not  to  know  that  it 
is  an  old  pagan  custom  ? that  it  was  prevalent  in  heathen  coun- 
tries long  before  a single  soul  was  converted  to  Christianity, 
and  is  carried  on  to  some  extent  now,  both  among  pagans  and 
Mahomedans?  From  such  facts  it  would  appear  (viewing  the 
matter  from  the  Christian  stand-point)  that  God  is  indifferent 
as  to  what  kind  of  religion,  or  what  sort  of  religious  nonsense, 
people  are  converted  to,  or  whether  it  is  truth  or  error  they 
embrace,  or  whether  it  is  a true  religion  or  a false  one  they 
imbibe,  so  he  gets  them  converted.  According  to  Mr.  Hig- 
gins, the  practice  of  converting  people  from  one  sect  to  another 
by  the  popular  priesthood  was  prevalent  under  the  ancient 
Persian  system,  and  was  carried  on  there  quite  extensively 
more  than  three  thousand  years  ago  ; and  the  process  was  essen- 
tially the  same  as  that  now  in  vogue  amongst  modern  Method^ 
ists,  and  the  effect  the  same.  At  their  large  revival  meetings 
the  whole  congregation  would  sometimes  become  so  affected 
under  the  eloquent  ministrations  of  the  officiating  priest,  as 
to  cry,  and  shout,  and  prostrate  themselves  upon  the  ground, 
which  was  afterward  found  to  be  drenched  with  their  tears ; 
and  on  these  occasions  they  would  confess  their  sins  to  each 
other,  and  to  their  priests ; and  yet  those  very  sins  they  con- 
demned were,  perhaps,  amongst  the  best  acts  of  their  lives, 
while  their  real  crimes  were  overlooked  and  justified,  instead  of 
being  condemned,  thus  showing  that  an  honest,  just,  and  sensi- 
ble God  could  have  had  nothing  to  do  with  it.  And  we  have 
reports  of  similar  scenes  witnessed  more  recently  among  the 
Mahomedans.  Major  Denham  furnishes  us  an  account  of 
some  “ revival  meetings”  he  attended  a few  years  since  in 
Arabia,  carried  on  by  one  of  the  Mahomedan  sects.  On  one 
occasion  the  effect  of  the  discourse  of  the  preacher  upon  the 
audience  in  the  way  of  “ converting  souls  to  God  ” was  so 
powerful,  that  he  could  only  convince  himself  that  he  was  not 
in  a Methodist  revival  meeting  hy  a knowledge  of  his  geograph- 
ical position.  The  preacher’s  name  was  Malem  Chadily,  and 
here  is  a specimen  of  some  of  his  language.  “ Turn,  turn,  sin- 


CONVERSION  OF  HEATHEN  ORIGIN 


36i 


ner,  unto  God ; confess  he  is  good,  and  that  Mahomet  is  his 
prophet;  wash,  and  become  clean  of  your  sins,  and  paradise 
is  open  before  you:  without  this  nothing  can  save  you  from 
eternal  fire.”  During  this  earnest  appeal  (says  the  major), 
tears  flowed  plentifully,  and  everybody  appeared  to  be  affected. 
One  of  his  hearers,  becoming  converted,  shouted,  “Your  words, 
pierce  my  soul,”  and  fell  upon  the  floor.  Now  let  it  be  borne 
in  mind,  that  Mahomet  is  stigmatized  and  condemned  by  the 
Christian  churches  as  “ a false  prophet,”  and  his  religion  de- 
nounced as  “ a system  of  fraud,”  “ a false  religion,”  &c.  Of 
course,  then,  Christians  will  not  argue,  nor  admit,  that  conver- 
sion, and  “getting  religion,”  in  this  case,  is  the  work  of  God. 
A just  God  would  have  nothing  to  do  in  converting  people  to 
“a  false  religion.”  What  explanation  shall  we  adopt  for  it 
then  ? To  assume  it  to  be  the  work  of  the  devil  (the  dernier 
ressort  for  all  religious  difficulties),  and  conversions  among 
Christians  the  work  of  God,  when  both  are  so  clearly  and 
obviously  alike,  is  to  insult  common  sense.  To  assume  that 
two  things,  exactly  alike  in  character , can  be  exactly  and  dia- 
metrically unlike  in  origin,  is  a scientific  paradox  which  no 
person  of  common  intelligence  can  swallow,  or  accept  for  a 
moment.  Both,  then,  we  must  admit,  have  the  same  origin. 
This  train  of  argument  leads  us  to  speak  of,  — 

2d.  The  Logical  Absurdities  of  the  Doctrine  of  Conversion . 
— There  are  several  circumstances  which  point,  unmistakably  as 
the  needle  to  the  pole,  to  the  mundane  origin  of  the  phenome- 
non of  conversion. 

The  character  of  many  of  the  priestly  conductors  who  “ run 
the  battery,”  is  sufficient  of  itself  to  preclude  the  hypothesis  of 
any  divine  agency  in  the  matter.  The  most  powerful  revivalist 
we  ever  knew,  the  priest  who  could  convert  an  audience  the 
quickest,  and  bring  down  sinners  to  the  mourners’  bench  faster 
than  any  other  clergyman  we  ever  heard  “ dealing  out  dam- 
nation ” to  the  people,  was  a broad-shouldered,  muscular,  sten- 
torian-voiced circuit  rider  of  the  “Buckeye  State,”  who,  as 
was  afterward  learned,  was  guilty  of  perpetrating  some  of  the 
blackest  crimes  that  ever  blotted  the  page  of  human  history,  at 
the  very  time  of  his  most  successful  career  in  the  way  of  “ con* 


362 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


victing  souls  of  sin,  and  converting  them  to  God.”  He  was 
apprehended  by  the  officers  of  the  law  in  the  midst  of  one  of 
his  most  flourishing  revivals,  under  the  twofold  charge,  1.  Of 
being  the  father  of  an  illegitimate  child,  the  young  mother 
of  which  was  a member  of  his  church ; 2.  Of  defrauding  one 
of  his  neighbors  in  a trade,  to  the  amount  of  nearly  a thousand 
dollars  — both  of  which  charges  he  was  convicted  of.  A 
similar  case,  but  possessing  some  worse  features,  occurred  a few 
years  since  in  the  county  in  which  the  author  now  resides.  A 
preacher,  who  had  had  criminal  connection  with  a young  woman 
of  his  church,  in  order  to  conceal  his  guilt  resorted  to  the 
damnable  expedient  of  administering  poison  to  bis  victim  shortly 
before  his  illicit  intercourse  with  her  would  have  been  made 
manifest  by  the  birth  of  a child,  thus  committing  a double  murder. 
He  was  apprehended  for  the  crime  while  carrying  on  “a  most  glo- 
rious revival,”  as  it  was  styled  by  some  of  the  deluded  congre- 
gation. Now  to  ascribe  the  irresistible  power  which  these  two 
preachers  exerted  over  their  audience  (in  the  way  of  “ convert- 
them  to  God  ”)  to  a divine  source,  as  they  claimed  for  it,  would 
be  to  trifle  with  common  sense,  common  decency,  and  all 
honorable  conceptions  of  a God.  These  reverend  scamps  often 
instituted  the  high  claim  of  being  “ called  of  God  ” to  their 
ministerial  labors.  But  if  we  concede  the  claim,  we  should  have 
to  conclude  that  God  knew  but  little  about  them,  for  he  cer- 
tainly would  not  knowingly  employ  such  moral  outlaws  upon 
such  an  important  mission. 

Having  thus  briefly  spoken  of  the  character  of  some  of  the 
actors  and  agents  in  the  work  of  conversion,  we  will  now 
glance  at  the  character  of  some  of  the  religions  and  religious 
ideas,  and  moral  course  of  conduct,  to  which  the  sinner  is  con- 
verted. It  is  evident  that  if  an  All-wise  God  had  anything  to 
do  in  the  process  of  converting  people  to  any  system  of  reli- 
gion, he  would  also  convert  them  to  correct  moral  habits.  But 
in  many  cases,  after  conversion  they  are  no  nearer  right  in  this 
respect,  and  in  some  cases  further  from  it  than  before  being 
thus  sanctified.  In  some  cases  their  religion  becomes  worse, 
their  religious  ideas  less  sensible,  and  their  moral  conduct  more 
objectionable,  by  “the  change  of  heart”  in  “getting  religion.” 


CONVERSION  OF  HEATHEN  ORIGIN . 


363 


Mr.  Spencer  informs  us  that  the  Vewas,  a sect  or  tribe  of  the 
Feegees,  often  cry  for  hours  under  conviction  for  sin.  And 
what  is  that  sin  ? Why,  the  neglect  to  offer  sacrifices  to  their 
God.  And  those  sacrifices  consist  in  human  beings,  sometimes 
their  own  children.  And  their  conviction,  conversion,  and  re- 
pentance only  make  them  more  diligent  in  practicing  this 
crime.  It  is  evident,  then,  that  their  religion  is  at  war  with 
their  humanity,  and  the  former  always  triumphs  in  the  contest. 
They  are  addicted  to  cannibalism,  infanticide,  and  polygamy. 
But  as  the  process  of  “ getting  religion  ” never  makes  anybody 
more  intelligent,  the  “ change  of  heart,”  with  the  Vewas,  never 
changes  their  views,  or  opens  their  eyes  to  see  the  enormity  of 
their  crimes.  In  “ getting  religion  ” people  get  neither  sense, 
knowledge,  nor  morality.  They  get  neither  a larger  stock,  nor 
an  improved  quality,  of  either.  Their  moral  conduct  is  not 
often  sensibly  improved,  materially  or  permanently. 

3d.  Scientific  Errors , and  Scientific  Explanations  of  Conver- 
sion.— The  phenomena  of  conversion  and  “getting  religion” 
are  so  easily  explained  in  the  light  of  science  and  philosophy, 
and  that  explanation  is  susceptible  of  so  many  proofs  and  demon- 
strations, that  it  seems  remarakably  strange  that  any  persons 
claiming  to  be  intelligent,  and  situated  in  the  focal,  scientific 
light  of  the  nineteenth  century,  should  still  be  hampered  with 
the  delusion  that  such  phenomena  are  the  direct  display  of  the 
power  of  God.  It  requires  but  little  investigation  and  reflec- 
tion to  convince  any  person  that  what  is  called  conversion,  and 
“ repentance  for  sin,”  is  nothing  but  the  revival  of  early  educa- 
tional impressions  resuscitated  by  the  influence  of  mind  on 
mind.  No  person  has  ever  been  known  to  get  or  embrace  a 
religion  he  was  not  biased  in  favor  of  prior  to  the  time  of  his 
conversion,  unless  we  except  a few  weak-minded  persons  nega- 
tive to  any  influence,  and  convertible  to  any  religion  the  priest 
may  urge  upon  their  attention.  A very  strong  proof  of  this 
statement  is  furnished  by  the  history  of  the  Christian  mission- 
ary enterprise.  The  reports  of  travelers  and  sojourners  in 
India  show,  that  with  two  hundred  years’  labor,  and  two  hun- 
dred missionaries  in  the  field  during  a part  of  that  period,  the 
churches  have  not  succeeded  in  converting  one  in  ten  thousand 


864 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS . 


of  the  Hindoos  to  the  Christian  religion  — unless  we  except 
those  who,  while  children,  were  sent  to  Christian  schools  insti- 
tuted by  the  missionaries  for  the  special  purpose  of  converting 
and  warping  the  young  mind,  and  welding  it  to  the  Christian 
faith  before  it  should  receive  an  unchangeable  and  unyielding 
bias  in  favor  of  another  religion.  So  fruitless  has  been  the 
effort  to  convert  to  Christianity  those  who  were  already  es- 
tablished in  the  religion  of  the  country,  that,  according  to  the 
estimate  of  Colonel  Dow,  each  convert,  on  an  average,  has  cost 
the  missionary  enterprise  not  less  than  ten  thousand  dollars. 
An  intelligent  Hindoo,  while  lecturing  recently  in  London, 
made  the  remarkable  statement,  that  conversions  which  are 
made  to  the  Christian  religion  are  not  amongst  the  intelligent 
or  learned  classes,  but  are  confined  to  the  low,  ignorant,  and 
superstitious  classes,  “ who  have  not  sense  or  intelligence 
enough  to  perceive  the  difference  between  the  religion  they  are 
converted  to , and  that  which  they  are  converted  from  .”  And 
the  effort  to  convert  the  Mahomedans,  Chinese,  Persians,  and 
the  disciples  of  other  religions  has  been  attended  with  the  same 
fruitless  results  — all  seeming  to  warrant  the  conclusion  that 
God  can  do  but  little  toward  converting  any  nation  to  Chris- 
tianity which  has  always  been  biased  in  favor  of  another  reli- 
gion. The  reason  why  people  are  so  easily  converted  from 
one  sect  to  another  in  Christian  countries  is  owing  to  the  fact 
that  their  religious  convictions  are  unsettled.  The  members 
of  the  different  Christian  sects  are  all  mixed  up  together  in 
the  various  settlements  throughout  the  country,  and  are 
brought  in  daily  contact  with  each  other  in  the  busy  scenes 
of  life. 

Hence  the  children  have  the  seeds  of  Methodism,  Presbyteri- 
anism, Baptistism,  Quakerism,  and  various  other  isms  implanted 
in  their  minds  in  very  early  life.  And  which  one  of  these  will 
ultimately  predominate  depends  upon  what  priest  they  fhll 
viclios  to  first.  Having  thus  the  germs  of  so  many  religious 
isms  implanted  in  their  minds,  they  are  easily  shifted  about, 
and  converted  from  one  sect  to  another.  And  this  shuttlecock 
process  is  called  “getting  religion,”  while,  if  they  had  lived  in 


CONVERSION  OF  HEATHEN  ORIGIN. 


365 


a country  where  only  one  form  of  religion  exists,  they  would  be 
as  hard  to  convert  as  Mahomedans  and  Hindoos. 

Repentance. — Much  importance  is  attached  by  the  orthodox 
churches  to  the  act  of  getting  religion  in  the  dying  hour, — 
called  “ death-bed  repentance,”  — as  if  a person  were  better  capa- 
ble of  discriminating  between  right  and  wrong  when  his  brain 
is  deranged  with  fever,  and  his  whole  system  racked  with 
disease  and  pain,  than  when  in  health.  Such  repentance  can 
do  nothing  more  than  prove  the  honesty  of  the  dying  man  or 
woman.  For  very  often  their  doctrines,  or  religious  belief,  will 
be  found  to  be  no  nearer  right,  and  sometimes  more  erroneous 
after  repentance  than  before,  as  repentance  merely  consists  in 
the  return  to  early  impressions  — the  revival  of  former  convic- 
tions, which  may  be  either  right  or  wrong,  and  are  about  as 
likely  to  be  the  latter  as  the  former.  No  instance  can  be  found 
of  a person  condemning  a wrong  act,  or  a wrong  course  of  life, 
in  his  dying  moments,  unless  he  had  previously  believed  it  to 
be  wrong,  or  if  he  had  always  believed  it  to  be  right.  How 
much,  then,  does  repentance  do  toward  deciding  what  is  right 
and  what  is  wrong  ? Mahomedanism  we  know  to  be  deeply 
fraught  wdth  error,  but  we  never  read  nor  heard  of  an  instance 
of  the  many  millions  who  had  been  educated  to  believe  it 
is  right,  condemning  it  on  their  death-beds,  or  repenting  for  not 
having  embraced  Christianity,  and  led  the  life  of  a Christian, 
or  for  adoring  Mahomet  instead  of  Jesus  Christ.  On  the  con- 
trary we  have  a well-authenticated  instance  of  a Mahomedan 
(a  Mr.  Merton"}  who  had  embraced  Christianity,  and  lived  the 
life  of  a Christian  for  many  years,  renouncing  it  all,  and  return- 
ing to  his  primitive  faith,  when  he  was  taken  sick  and  became 
apprehensive  he  was  going  to  die  : his  early  religious  impres- 
sions, returning  involuntarily,  wiped  out  his  Christianity,  and 
he  died  glorying  in  Mahomedanism.  And  we  have  an  equally 
well  authenticated  case  of  an  Indian  of  the  Choctaw  tribe,  who 
had  been  taught  to  believe  from  early  life  that  the  white  man 
was  his  natural  enemy,  and  that  it  was  his  right  and  duty  to 
kill  him,  repenting  on  his  death-bed  for  having  a short  time 
previously  neglected,  when  the  opportunity  presented,  to  de- 


366 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


spatch  a “pale  face”  he  met  in  his  travels.  Instead  of  killing 
him,  he  yielded  for  the  moment  to  the  impulse  of  his  better 
feelings,  and  passed  him  by.  But  on  reviewing  his  past  life  at 
the  approach  of  death,  he  came  to  the  conclusion  he  had  sinned 
in  omitting  to  kill  this  man,  and  he  grieved  and  lamented 
sorely  over  this  dereliction  of  apprehended  duty.  Here  we  have 
a case  of  repentance  sanctioning  murder.  Must  we,  therefore, 
conclude  that  murder  is  morally  right,  or  a righteous  act? 
Certainly,  according  to  orthodox  logic. 

Their  religious  tracts  assume  that  repentance  is  always  for 
the  right,  and  is  prima  facie  evidence  of  being  right.  If  not, 
what  does  it  prove,  or  of  what  moral  value  is  it  ? According 
to  orthodox  teaching,  being  “a  murderer  at  heart,”  he  was 
as  consignable  to  perdition  as  if  he  had  committed  the  act. 
There  is  no  escaping  the  conclusion,  therefore,  that  his  repent- 
ance landed  him  in  hell,  or  else  proves  murder  to  be  right 
according  to  orthodox  logic. 

We  have  known  Quakers  to  leave  their  dying  testimony 
against  water  baptism  ; and  Baptists,  with  their  last  breath, 
declare  it  is  right,  and  a sin  to  neglect  it.  Which  is  right? 
Who  can  tell?  We  have  also  known  Quakers  to  condemn 
dancing  in  their  dying  hours,  but  Shakers  never;  because  one 
had  been  taught  that  it  is  wrong,  and  the  other  that  it  is 
right.  And  which  testimony  must  we  accept  ? Mahomedans 
often,  when  approaching  the  confines  of  time,  repent  (some- 
times in  tears)  for  not  having  lived  out  more  rigidly  the 
injunctions  of  the  Koran,  but  never  regret  not  having  been 
Christians.  They  often  call  upon  Mahomet  to  aid  them 
through  the  gates  of  death  ; but  not  one  of  the  million  who 
die  every  year  ever  calls  upon  Jesus  Christ.  What,  then,  does 
such  a conflicting  jargon  of  death-bed  repentance  prove  ? 
What  good  can  grow  out  of  it,  or  what  moral  value  can  pos- 
sibly attach  to  it?  It  establishes  simply  two  principles, — 

1st.  That  repentance  grows  out  of  education. 

2d.  That  it  depends  entirely  upon  previous  convictions  aa 
to  what  it  may  sanction,  and  what  it  may  condemn. 

No  Christian  ever  repents  in  favor  of  Mahomedanism ; and 


CONVERSION  OF  HEATHEN  ORIGIN. 


367 


no  Mahomedan  ever  lifts  up  bis  dying  voice  in  favor  of  Chris- 
tianity as  being  superior  to  his  own  religion ; and  no  Hin- 
doo has  ever  been  known  to  indulge  in  death-bed  lamenta- 
tion for  not  having  previously  embraced  either  Christianity 
or  Mahomedanism;  because  their  earlier  education  never 
turned  their  minds  in  that  direction.  The  mind  has  to  be 
educated  over  again  before  it  can  embrace  a new  religion, 
or  even  condemn  a wrong  act,  which,  up  to  that  period,  it 
had  always  believed  to  be  right. 

Hence  it  is  evident  repentance  may  lead  a person  to  con- 
demn what  is  right  and  sanction  what  is  wrong.  How  pro- 
foundly ignorant  of  religious  history  and  mental  science  must 
those  persons  therefore  be  who  attach  any  importance  to 
those  diseased  and  often  incoherent  utterances,  called  “ death- 
bed recantations,”  or  who  believe  a thing  the  sooner  because 
sanctioned  by  a dying  man  or  woman,  or  that  they  do  any- 
thing toward  proving  what  is  right  or  what  is  wrong  with 
respect  to  either  our  belief  or  our  moral  conduct!  And  yet 
we  find  the  orthodox  churches  printing  every  year,  through 
their  tract  societies,  stories  of  death-bed  repentance  in  tract 
form,  and  scattering  them  over  the  country  by  the  million. 
As  they  prove  nothing  but  the  honesty  of  the  dying  man  or 
woman,  they  are  not  worth  the  paper  on  which  they  are 
printed. 

The  phenomenon  of  repentance  is  simply  the  operation  of 
a natural  law,  by  which  the  last  impressions  made  upon  the 
mind  are  generally  cancelled  from  the  memory  first,  by  the 
progress  of  fever  and  disease,  thus  leaving  the  earlier  impres- 
sions to  rule  the  judgment.  The  person  is  then  virtually  a 
child,  controlled  by  his  early  youthful  convictions,  with  which, 
if  his  late  belief  and  conduct  disagree,  it  causes  a mental 
conflict,  called  repentance.  Thus,  instead  of  being  the  visi- 
tation of  God,  as  Christians  claim,  repentance  is  shown  to  be 
the  product  of  natural  causes.  The  conclusion  is  thus  estab- 
lished beyond  disproof,  that  the  mental  processes  called  con- 
version, repentance,  and  “getting  religion  ” are  simply  natural 
psychological  operations,  depending  upon  education,  organ- 


368 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


ization,  and  intelligence.  They  depend  also  upon  intellect 
and  scientific  knowledge.  For  persons  of  large  intellectual 
brains,  or  extensive  scientific  culture,  never  fall  victims  to  these 
mental  derangements.  Hence  those  priests  who  claim  God 
as  their  author  are  either  deplorably  and  inexcusably  ignorant, 
or  lacking  in  moral  honesty. 


MORAL  LESSONS  OF  RELIGIOUS  HISTORIC.  369 


CHAPTER  XL1V. 

THE  MORAL  LESSONS  OF  RELIGIOUS  HISTORY. 

1 The  most  important  lesson  deducible  from  all  the  religious 
systems,  commemorated  in  history,  and  noticed  in  this  work,  is, 
that  all  religious  conceptions,  whether  in  the  shape  of  doc- 
trine, precept,  prophecy,  prayer,  religious  devotion,  or  a belief 
in  miracles,  are  a spontaneous  outgrowth  of  the  moral  and 
religious  elements  of  the  human  mind.  And  to  assign  them 
a higher  origin  is  to  ignore  the  developments  of  modern 
science,  and  insult  the  highest  intelligence  of  the  age. 

2.  From  the  elevated  scientific  plane  occupied  by  the  most 
enlightened  portion  of  the  present  age,  there  is  no  difficulty 
in  finding  a satisfactory  solution  for  every  event,  every  occur- 
rence, and  every  performance  recorded  in  any  of  the  numer- 
ous bibles  which  have  long  been  afloat  in  the  world,  and 
which  have  always  constituted  the  sole  basis  for  the  claim  to 
a divine  origin  of  all  the  religious  systems  of  the  past;  so 
that  such  a claim  can  be  no  longer  vindicated  by  historically 
intelligent  people. 

3.  We  have  shown  in  this  work  that  all  the  miraculous  inci- 
dents related  in  the  history  of  Jesus  Christ  as  a proof  of  his 
divinity  can  find  a more  rational  explanation  than  that  which 
assigns  them  to  divine  agency.  Some  of  them  are  now  known 
to  lie  within  the  natural  capacity  of  the  human  mind  to 
achieve,  others  are  explained  by  recently  discovered  natural 
laws.  Another  class  are  now  well  understood  mental  or 
nervous  phenomena.  Other  stories,  now  regarded  by  the 
Christian  world  as  referring  to  miraculous  acchievements, 
were  probably  designed  by  the  writer  as  mere  fable  or  meta- 

24 


370 


THE  WORLD  S SA  VIORS . 


phor.  All  the  events  in  Christ’s  history,  we  have  shown,  are 
susceptible  of  a hundred  fold  more  rational  explanation  than 
that  which  regards  them  as  the  feats  of  a God  in  violation 
of  his  own  laws. 

4.  We  have  also  shown  that  the  same  marvelous  inci- 
dents now  found  incorporated  in  the  Gospel  history  of  Jesus 
Christ  were  related  long  previously  as  a part  of  the  sacred 
history  of  other  Gods ; such  as  being  miraculously  conceived 
and  born  of  a virgin ; born  on  the  25th  of  December ; visited 
in  infancy  by  angels  and  shepherds;  threatened  by  the  ruler 
of  the  country;  being  of  royal  lineage;  receiving  the  same 
divine  titles ; performing  the  same  miracles,  &c. 

In  a word,  we  have  shown  that  various  heathen  Gods  and 
Demigods  had,  long  before  Christ’s  advent,  filled  the  same 
chapter  in  history  now  reported  of  him  in  the  Christian 
New  Testament.  All  these  stories  of  the  heathen  Gods  prove 
as  conclusively  as  any  scientific  problem  can  be  demonstrated 
by  figures,  that  the  same  stories  related  of  Jesus  Christ  have 
no  other  foundation  than  that  of  heathen  tradition.  And 
will  the  Christian  world,  then,  hereafter  stultify  their  common 
sense  by  ignoring  these  facts  of  history  so  fatal  to  their  claims  ? 
Past  history  points  to  an  affirmative  answer  to  this  question, 
as  we  will  illustrate. 

In  the  early  history  of  this  country,  several  reports  were 
published  of  showers  of  blood  being  seen  to  fall  in  some  of 
the  sea-coast  states,  which  were  regarded  as  a divine  judg- 
ment. But  the  use  of  the  telescope  revealed  the  fact  that 
it  was  the  ordure  of  butterflies,  as  those  insects  were  seen  at 
the  time  in  vast  swarms.  But  the  devout  Christian,  whose 
faith  in  his  religion  has  always  been  proof  against  the  demon- 
strations of  science,  would  not  give  it  up.  He  would  not  ac- 
cept the  butterfly  explanation,  but  continued  to  teach  his 
children  that  it  came  from  God  out  of  heaven  as  a manifes- 
tation of  displeasure  toward  the  sins  of  the  people.  And  it 
now  remains  to  be  seen  whether  Christian  professors  at  the 
present  day  will  manifest  a similar  folly  by  standing  out  against 
the  demonstrated  truths  and  facts  of  this  work. 


MORAL  LESSONS  OF  RELIGIOUS  HISTORY, \ 371 


5.  We  here  cite  it  as  the  last  and  most  sorrowful  lesson 
of  history,  that  no  facts,  no  proofs,  no  demonstrations  of 
science  can  eradicate  religious  errors  from  the  human  mind, 
if  instilled  in  early  life,  and  never  disturbed  till  the  possessor 
arrives  at  mature  age  or  middle  life. 


372 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

CONCLUSION  AND  REVIEW. 

In  writing  the  concluding  chapter  of  this  work,  the  author 
deems  it  proper  to  re-state  some  points,  and  elaborate  others, 
and  anticipate  some  objections  to  some  of  the  positions  ad- 
vanced. Each  division  of  the  subject  will  be  marked  by  a 
separate  figure,  and  treated  in  a brief  and  succinct  manner,  as 
follows : — 

1.  Several  persons,  who  examined  this  work  before  it  went 
to  press,  have  expressed  the  opinion  that  it  must  exert  a 
powerful  influence  in  the  way  of  producing  an  entire  revolution 
in  the  religion  of  orthodox  Christendom  sooner  or  later.  But 
this  must  of  course  be  the  work  of  time,  as  moral  revolutions 
are  not  the  work  of  a day.  When  the  human  system  has  been 
long  prostrated  with  chronic  disease,  no  system  of  medication 
can  restore  it  at  once  to  health.  The  same  principle  govern- 
ing the  mind  makes  it  morally  impossible  to  eradicate  its  deep- 
ly-seated moral  and  religious  errors  in  a day  by  even  the 
presentation  of  the  most  powerful  and  convincing  truths  and 
demonstrations  that  can  be  brought  to  bear  or  operate  upon 
the  human  judgment.  The  mind  instinctively  repels  every- 
thing (no  difference  how  true  or  how  beautiful)  that  conflicts 
with  its  long-established  opinions  and  convictions.  The  fires 
of  truth  usually  require  much  time  to  burn  their  way  through 
those  incrustations  of  moral  and  religious  error  which  often 
environ  the  human  mind  as  the  products  of  a false  education. 
But  when  they  once  enter,  the  work  of  convincement  is  com- 
plete. 

2.  It  has  been  stated  that  the  resemblance  between  Christi- 
anity and  the  more  ancient  heathen  systems  is  complete  and 


CONCLUSION  AND  REVIEW. 


373 


absolute  throughout  in  all  their  essential  doctrines,  and  princi- 
ples, and  precepts.  And  if  it  shall  be  found,  on  a critical  read- 
ing of  this  work  after  it  comes  from  the  press,  that  there  is  one 
feature  of  Christianity  which  has  not  been  traced  to  pagan 
origin,  or  that  any  points  of  resemblance  have  been  omitted, 
they  will  be  supplied  in  an  appendix. 

3.  It  has  been  stated  that  a transfiguration  is  related  of 
Chrishna  of  India  (1200  B.  C.)  in  the  Hindoo  bible  (the  Bag- 
havat  Gita),  which  is  strikingly  similar  to  that  of  Christ.  We 
will  here  present  the  proof.  “ Abandoning  the  mortal  form,  he 
(Chrishna)  appeared  to  his  disciples  in  all  the  divine  eclat  of 
his  Divine  Majesty,  his  brow  encircled  with  such  a brilliant 
light  that  Adjourna  and  the  other  disciples,  unable  to  bear  it, 
fell  with  their  faces  in  the  dust,  and  prayed  the  Lord  (Chrishna) 
to  pardon  their  unworthiness.  He  replied,  c Have  you  not 
faith  in  me  ? Know  ye  not,  that  whether  present  or  absent  in 
body,  I will  be  ever  present  with  you  to  guard  and  protect 
you  ? ’ ” (Baghavat  Gita.)  How  remarkable  this  to  the  story  of 
Christ’s  transfiguration ! 

4.  Some  readers,  perhaps,  will  be  surprised  to  observe  that 
we  have  named  so  many  crucified  gods  to  whom  some  writers 
assign  a different  death.  But  we  have  followed,  as  we  be- 
lieve, the  best  authorities  in  doing  so. 

5.  In  our  work,  “ The  Bible  of  Bibles,”  we  have  shown  that 
the  score  of  bibles  which  have  been  extant  in  the  world  teach 
essentially  the  same  doctrines,  principles,  and  precepts.  There 
are  to  be  found  in  the  old  pagan  bibles  the  same  grand  and 
beautiful  truths  mixed  up  with  the  game  mind-enslaving  errors 
and  deleterious  superstitions  as  those  contained  in  the  Chris- 
tian bible.  And  the  same  exalted  claim  is  set  up  by  the  disci- 
ples of  each  for  their  respective  holy  books  — that  of  being  a 
direct  revelation  from  God,  and  inspired  at  the  fountain  of 
infinite  wisdom.  And  all  were  exalted,  adored,  and  idolized 
by  their  respective  admirers,  as  containing  a perfect  embodi- 
ment of  truth,  without  any  admixture  of  error.  The  ancient 
Persians  carried  their  bibles  in  their  bosoms,  and  read  them 
and  prayed  over  them  daily.  The  Hindoos  often  read  their 
bible  through  on  their  bended  knees,  and  sometimes  committed 


;74 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


it  all  to  memory.  The  Baghavathas  the  following  text:  “The 
most  important  of  all  duties  is  to  study  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
which  is  the  word  of  Brahma  and  Chrishna,  revealed  to  the 
world.”  Some  of  the  Mahomed ans  claim  that  immortal  life 
can  only  be  obtained  by  reading  the  Koran,  and  that  the  read- 
ing of  it  is  essential  to  the  progress  and  practice  of  good  morals, 
and  the  advancement  of  civilization  ; and  that  it  will  ulti- 
mately reform  and  civilize  the  world.  Both  they  and  the  Hin- 
doos, like  the  Christian  world,  have  numerous  commentaries, 
explaining  the  obscure  texts  of  their  bibles,  and  aiming  to  recon- 
cile their  teachings  with  reason  and  science.  And  the  disciples 
of  all  bibles  had  a mode  of  doing  away  with  the  immoral  teach- 
ings, and  concealing  the  worst  features  of  their  sacred  books  by 
bestowing  on  them  a spiritual  meaning,  as  Christians  do  theirs, 
thus  dressing  up  error  in  the  guise  of  truth.  The  Hindoo  bible, 
the  Mahomedan  bible,  and  other  holy  books,  consign  those  who 
disbelieve  in  their  teachings  to  eternal  damnation,  denouncing 
them  as  infidels.  In  this  respect,  also,  they  are  like  the  Chris- 
tian’s bible. 

6.  “But  then,  after  all  (as  some  good  pious  Christian  will 
probably  exclaim  after  reading  this  work),  the  bible  and  Chris- 
tianity are  essential  to  the  progress  of  good  morals,  and  the 
advancement  of  the  cause  of  civilization,  and  the  civilized 
world  would  sink  into  a state  of  heathen  darkness,  demoraliza- 
tion, and  savagism  without  them ; for  every  enlightened  nation 
owes  its  present  moral  and  intellectual  greatness  to  the  Chris- 
tian bible  and  the  Christian  religion,  and  would  relapse  into 
barbarism  without  them.”  This  is  a mistake,  a most  egregious 
mistake,  my  good  brother  Christian,  as  the  following  facts  of 
history  will  show  : — 

1.  There  are  heathen  nations  now  existing  who  never  saw  a 
bible,  and  others  which  flourished  in  the  past,  before  our  bible 
was  written,  who  nevertheless  attained  to  a higher  state  of 
morals,  and  a higher  state  of  civilization  in  some  respects,  than 
any  Christian  nation  known  to  history.  A whole  volume  of 
facts  might  be  adduced,  if  we  had  space  for  them,  drawn  from 
the  ablest  and  most  reliable  authorities,  to  prove  that  India, 
Egypt,  Greece,  and  other  countries  had  reached  a high  state 


CONCLUSION  AND  REVIEW. 


875 


of  civilization  centuries  before  Christianity  or  any  of  its  founders 
were  even  heard  of,  or  made  their  appearance  in  the  world. 
India  was  distinguished  for  her  learning,  her  laws,  her  legisla- 
tion, her  civil  courts,  her  judicial  tribunals,  her  astronomers,  her 
poets,  her  philosophers,  her  writers,  her  moralists,  her  libraries, 
her  men  of  literature,  and  her  good  morals  long  before  Moses 
was  found  in  the  bulrushes.  Jacolliot  says,  “ India  gave  civil- 
ization to  the  world.”  Egypt  borrowed  of  India,  the  Greeks 
of  the  Egyptians,  and  the  Jews  and  Christians  are  indebted 
to  the  Greeks  for  both  their  morals  and  their  civilization. 
Dubois,  a Christian  missionary,  in  his  “Memoirs  of  India,” 
testifies  that  u kindness,  justice,  humanity,  good  faith,  compas- 
sion, disinterestedness,  and  in  fact  nearly  all  the  moral  virtues, 
were  familiar  to  the  ancient  Brahmans  and  Hindoos,  and  they 
taught  them  both  by  precept  and  example.”  Can  as  much  be 
said  of  any  Christian  nation  ? Certainly  not.  And  the  Rev. 
D.  O.  Allen  says  they  were  distinguished  for  all  the  arts 
and  refinement  of  civilized  life  — thus  placing  them  on  the 
highest  plane  of  civilization  and  moral  elevation.  And  other 
nations  might  be  referred  to.  Egypt  had  her  vast  temples  of 
science,  Chaldea  her  astronomical  observatories,  and  Greece 
her  distinguished  academies  of  learning,  her  profound  philoso- 
phers, and  her  high-toned  moral  writers  and  moral  teachers, 
while  the  Jews,  “God’s  holy  people,”  were  in  a state  of  semi- 
barbarism. So  affirms  the  Rev.  Albert  Barnes. 

2.  No  advancement  has  often  been  made  in  morals  or  civil- 
ization in  any  country  by  the  introduction  of  the  Christian 
bible  or  the  Christian  religion.  It  is  the  arts  and  sciences  which 
accompany  or  follow  the  bible  which  do  the  work.  A proof 
of  this  statement  is  found  in  the  fact,  that  no  improvement 
takes  place  in  the  morals  of  the  people  by  the  introduction  of 
the  bible  till  the  arts  and  sciences  are  also  introduced  amongst 
them.  On  the  contrary,  the  morals  of  many  deteriorate  by 
reading  the  bible  alone,  because  it  sanctions  as  well  as  con- 
demns every  species  of  crime  then  known  to  society.  (For 
proof  see  Chap.  XXIX.  of  this  work.)  That  India  has  become 
corrupted  and  sunk  in  morals  since  the  introduction  of  the 
Christian  bible,  is  admitted  by  the  Rev.  D.  O.  Allen,  for  twenty- 


376 


THE  WORLD'S  SAVIORS. 


five  years  a missionary  in  that  country.  But  science,  espe- 
cially moral  science,  imparts  a different  influence.  It  explains 
the  nature  of  crimes,  and  teaches  and  demonstrates  that  a life 
of  honesty  and  virtue  can  alone  produce  true  and  real  happi- 
ness, while  the  bible  augments  the  temptation  to  commit  sin 
by  teaching  that  “it  is  a sweet  morsel  to  be  rolled  under  the 
tongue,”  and  that  its  punitive  effects  may  be  entirely  escaped 
by  an  act  of  divine  forgiveness.  But  science,  either  directly  or 
by  the  enlightening  of  the  mind,  teaches  and  convinces  the 
wrong-doer  that  there  is  no  escape  from  the  evil  effects  of  a 
wrong  or  wicked  act,  and  that  sin  is  not  a “ sweet  morsel,”  but 
ultimately  a bitter  pill.  And  thus  it  arrests  the  demoralizing 
effects  of  this  pernicious  doctrine  of  the  Christian  bible. 

3.  It  may  startle  some  of  the  bible  devotees  to  be>  told  that 
their  sacred  book,  instead  of  being  a prompter  to  civilization 
and  good  morals,  is  really  a hindrance  to  those  ends  ; and 
that  consequently  nations  without  bibles  advance  faster  in  these 
respects  than  those  who  are  well  supplied  with  this  book. 
But  the  facts  of  history  seem  to  establish  this  as  a fact.  As  a 
proof  we  will  contrast  the  present  condition  of  heathen  Japan 
with  that  of  Christian  Abyssinia.  Colonel  Hall  and  Dr.  Oli- 
phant  both  testify  that  no  drunkenness,  no  fighting,  no  quarrel- 
ing, no  thefts,  no  robberies,  no  rapes,  no  fornication,  no  domes- 
tic feuds  or  broils,  and  no  fraudulent  dealing  take  place  in 
Japan.  No  locks  or  keys  are  used,  for  none  are  needed.  There 
is  no  disposition  to  steal,  or  even  to  cheat,  or  overreach  in  deal- 
ing. But  in  Christian  Abyssinia,  on  the  other  hand,  according 
to  Mr.  Goodrich,  where  bibles  and  churches  are  numerous,  and 
preaching  and  praying  are  heard  every  day,  nearly  all  the  crimes 
above  enumerated  are  daily  committed.  The  people  go  naked 
eat  raw  flesh,  cheat,  lie,  and  murder,  and  practice  polygamy. 
Such  a thing  as  a legitimate  child,  he  tells  us,  is  not  known. 
And  thus  it  has  been  for  fifteen  hundred  years,  while  in  the 
daily  practice  of  reading  their  bible.  The  arts  and  sciences 
have  never  been  introduced  amongst  them.  And  this  fact  ex- 
plains the  cause  of  their  continued  moral  degradation. 

4.  According  to  Noah  Webster,  the  cultivation  of  the  arts 
and  sciences  is  essential  to  the  progress  of  civilization  and 


CONCLUSION  AND  REVIEW \ 


377 


good  morals.  But  bible  religion  knows  nothing  about  the  arts 
and  sciences.  It  don’t  even  use  the  words.  Paul  uses  the 
word  science  only  once,  and  then  to  condemn  it.  But  Jesus 
omits  any  allusion  to  science,  philosophy,  or  natural  law.  So 
thoroughly  convinced  were  the  early  disciples  of  the  Christian 
faith  that  the  teachings  of  their  bible  are  inimical  to  the  arts 
and  sciences,  that  they  destroyed  works  of  art  wherever  they 
could  find  them,  and  opposed  with  a deadly  aim  every  new 
discovery  in  the  sciences. 

5.  As  bibles  represent  only  the  morals  and  state  of  society 
in  the  age  in  which  they  are  written,  and  are  not  allowed  to  be 
altered  or  transcended,  they  thus  hold  their  disciples  back  in 
all  coming  time,  and  compel  them  to  teach  and  practice  the 
morals  of  that  semi-barbarous  age  as  found  taught  in  their 
bibles.  And  thus  bibles  prevent  the  moral  growth  of  the  peo- 
ple as  effectually  as  the  Chinese  wooden  shoes  prevent  the 
growth  of  the  feet.  For  a fuller  exposition  of  this  matter,  see 
The  Bible  of  Bibles,  Chap.  XIV. 


NOTE  OF  EXPLANATION. 

In  Chapter  XXXI.  we  have  traced  Christianity  to  Essenism.  This 
may  need  a fuller  explanation  than  we  have  yet  devoted  to  this  point, 
though  we  have  stated  several  times  we  consider  them  essentially  one. 
The  Essenes  had  their  “ Exoteric”  and  their  “ Esoteric”  doctrines.  The 
latter,  which  seems  to  have  included  the  incarnation,  atonement,  trinity, 
and  all  the  other  Budhist  doctrines  as  set  forth  in  Chapter  XXXII.  (and 
now  included  in  the  term  Christianity),  they  never  published  to  the  world. 
Hence  Chapter  XXXI.  sets  forth  only  their  Exoteric  doctrines.  But  as 
Philo,  Milman,  Tytler,  and  other  eminent  authors  show  they  held  all 
the  doctrines  of  Budhism,  we  assume  they  were  a Budhist  sect.  Hence, 
when  we  speak  of  Christianity  growing  out  of  Budhism,  in  Chapter  XXXII., 
we  mean  Budhism  under  the  name  of  Essenism.  We  believe  Christianity 
is  from  Essenism  and  Budhism  both,  because  they  are  essentially  one ; 
and  that  Christianity  is  merely  a continuation  of  Budhism  as  taught  by 
the  Essenian  sect  of  Budhists.  Hence  we  have  sometimes  used  the  term 
Essenism,  and  sometimes  the  term  Budhism,  as  being  the  fountain  head 
of  Christianity.  We  have  stated  Christ  may  have  been  an  Essene  either 
by  birth  or  by  conversion.  But  our  conviction  now  is,  that  he  was  one 
by  birth.  And  we  now  think  it  probable  that  that  portion  of  the  Jewish 
nation  which  became  known  as  Essenes  sprang  up  in  the  Budhist  school 
of  Pythagoras,  in  Alexandria,  in  the  second  or  third  century  before  Christ, 
and  thus  became  Essenian  Budhists;  i.  e.,  a sect  of  Jewish  Budhists  who 
called  themselves  Essenes.  And  consequently,  neither  Christ  nor  his 
disciples  made  any  changes  in  the  Essenian  religion,  when  they  changed 
its  name  to  Christianity,  except  to  ingraft  a few  unimportant  tenets  bor- 
rowed from  the  principal  Budhist  sect.  We  are  now  convinced  that 
Essenism  was  complete  Budhism,  that  Christ  was  born  of  Essene  par- 
ents, and  that  no  important  changes  w*ere  made  by  dropping  the  term 
Essenism , and  adopting  the  term  Christianity  in  its  place. 

378 


NOTE  TO  PAGE  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  FIFTY- 

SEVEN. 


It  may  not  be  improper  to  explain  more  fully  the  reason  for  the  opinion 
expressed  on  page  157,  that  the  Gospel  writer  John  did  not  believe  that 
Christ  first  came  into  existence  through  human  birth,  but  believed  that 
he,  like  seme  of  the  oriental  Gods,  was  “ The  Word”  personified,  without 
the  process  of  birth;  though  he  may,  like  the  heathen  orientalists,  have 
cherished  the  tradition  that  the  second  God  in  the  trinity  (as  he  repre- 
sents Christ  to  be).,  after  having  sprung  into  existence  as  “ The  Word,” 
was  subsequently  subjected  to  human  birth.  Either  so,  or  else  his  allu- 
sion to  “the  mother  of  Christ”  was  done  in  condescension  to  the  gen- 
eral belief  among  the  people,  that  he  had  a human  mother.  Be  that  as 
it  may,  he  declares,  “The  Word  was  made  flesh  ” (John  i.  14) ; nearly 
the  same  language  used  by  the  orientalists, — which  with  them  did  not 
imply  human  birth.  And  the  declaration,  “All  things  were  made  by 
him”  (John  i.  3),  is  proof  positive  he  believed  in  Christ’s  existence  as 
the  creator,  before  his  human  birth.  Much  of  John’s  language  is  so 
strikingly  similar  to  that  employed  by  the  disciples  of  some  of  the  orien- 
tal religions,  who  believed  that  a second  God  emanated  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Supreme,  to  perform  the  act  of  creation,  that  we  cannot  resist  the 
conviction  that  this  was  John’s  belief;  especially  as  many  of  them  be- 
lieved, like  him,  that  this  creative  “Word”  became  afterward  a subject 
of  human  birth.  Thus,  as  we  conceive,  the  proposition  is  established. 


NOTE  TO  PAGE  THREE  HUNDRED  AND  ONE. 

Our  most  reliable  authorities  testify  that  Babylon  never  was  destroyed, 
but  successfully  resisted,  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  after  Isaiah’s 
time,  many  of  the  most  powerful  sieges,  and  “the  mightiest  munitions  of 
war,”  conducted  by  seven  of  the  most  skilful  generals  that  ever  wielded 
the  sword  — Cyrus,  Darius,  Alexander  the  Great,  Antigonus,  Demetrius, 
Poliorcetes,  and  Antiochus.  She  then  gradually  declined  by  the  removal 
of  her  inhabitants  to  other  and  newer  cities ; thus  falsifying  the  predic- 
tion of  Jeremiah  (li.  8),  “Her  end  has  come,”  and  of  Isaiah  (xiii.  22), 
“Her  days  shall  not  be  prolonged.”  and  that  “ desolation  shall  come 
upon  her  in  a day,”  and  her  destruction  shall  be  effected  suddenly — all 
of  which  are  falsified  by  the  facts  just  presented.  And  even  if  Babylon 

379 


380 


APPENDIX . 


had  been  destroyed,  the  present  existence  of  Hillah,  built  in  1101  upon 
the  same  spot,  with  a population,  according  to  Wellstead,  of  twenty-five 
thousand,  is  a signal  overthrow  of  Jeremiah’s  prophecy,  that  it  “ shall 
become  a wilderness,  wherein  no  man  dwelleth  ” (li.  43),  and  of  Isaiah, 
also,  that  it  should  not  be  dwelt  in  from  generation  to  generation.  Jere- 
miah first  predicted  that  her  sea  and  springs  should  dry  up  (li.  38),  and 
then  declared  the  waves  of  the  sea  should  come  upon  her  (li.  42) ; and 
finally,  that  she  should  sink  to  rise  no  more  (li.  64).  And  Isaiah’s  pre- 
diction of  ruin  and  destruction  included  with  Babylon,  “ the  land  of 
the  Chaldeans”  (1.  39),  which  was  then,  and  is  yet,  a great  commercial 
country,  with  an  annual  revenue  at  this  time,  according  to  Harvey 
Brydges,  of  a million  pounds  sterling.  Here,  then,  is  a long  series  of 
prophecies  falsified.  Our  authority  for  saying  that  Hillah  occupies  the 
site  of  ancient  Babylon  is  Malte-Brun’s  Geography  (page  655),  which  de- 
clares, “ Hillah  is  situated  within  the  precincts  of  Babylon;  ” thus  prov- 
ing it  is  not  “ a wilderness,  wherein  no  man  dwelleth.”  Had  we  space, 
we  should  present  an  extended  view  of  the  prophecies. 


INDEX 


Absurdities  of  the  Christian  Holy  Ghost  story 147 

Abyssinian  Christians  uncivilized 376 

Angels  figure  at  the  birth  of  Gods 57 

Ascension  of  the  Saviors 135 

Of  Chrishna,  Prometheus,  Alcides,  &c 136 

Of  Christ,  story  of 137 

Atonement,  how  belief  in,  originated 116,  144 

Errors  and  evils  of  the  doctrine 116,  144 

Baptism,  origin  of 168 

By  water 168 

Dove  descending  at 169 

By  sprinkling 171 

By  fire 172 

By  the  Holy  Ghost 173 

For  the  dead 174 

China,  Messianic  Prophecies  in 34 

Chrishna  and  Christ  compared 225 

Two  hundred  and  forty-six  parallels 225 

Their  precepts  alike 237 

Their  doctrines  alike 230 

Authors  cited  proving  the  above 240 

Chrishna,  his  life,  history,  mission,  &c 258 

His  precepts 100,  261 

His  second  advent 260 

Crucifixion  of 93 

Descent  into  hell 126 

Resurrection  of 128 

Ascension  of .* 136 

His  miraculous  birth 44 

His  advent  foretold 34 

Stars  figure  at  his  birth 53 

Angels  figure  at  his  birth 57 

Born  twenty-fifth  of  December 62 

His  virgin  mother 258 

Christ,  his  numerous  errors 342 

Moral  and  religious  errors  of 343 

Scientific  errors 349 

As  a man  and  as  a sectarian 354 

As  a medium 

Miraculous  birth  of 46 

Divinity  of,  logically  viewed 308 


381 


882  INDEX. 

Christ,  divinity  of,  philosophical  view  of. 315 

Physiological  view  of 318 

Historical  view  of 322 

Scriptural  view  of 327 

Metonymic  view  of 339 

His  miracles  examined 279 

flow  his  story  got  into  history 284 

All  history  ignores  him . 281 

(Note.  — “ Not  one  single  document  is  there  of  the  existence  of  Christ  within  the  first 
hundred  years.”  — Syntagma,  p.  190.  Allusion  to  him  by  Abgarus  and  other  writers 
are  now  admitted  to  be  forgeries.) 

Christianity  from  Essenism 249 

Many  historical  proofs  of 249 

Conclusion  and  review 372 

Confucius,  his  history,  life,  character,  precepts,  &c 271 

Angels  figure  at  his  birth 58 

Conversion  explained,  historically,  philosophically,  &c 360 

Its  histoiy,  errors,  &c 360 

Logical  absurdities  of 361 

Scientific  explanation  of 363 

Crucifixion  of  the  Gods,  introduction  to 92 

Chrishna  of  India 93 

Sakia  of  India 103 

Thammuz  of  Syria 107 

Wittoba  of  the  Telingonese 108 

Iao  of  Nepaul 108 

Hesus  of  the  Druids 109 

Quexalcote  of  Mexico 109 

Quirinus  of  Rome 110 

Thulis  of  Egypt 112 

Indra  of  Thibet 112 

Alcestos  of  Euripides  113 

Atys  of  Phrygia 113 

Crite  of  Chaldea 113 

Bali  of  Orissa 114 

Mithra  of  Persia 114 

Devatat,  Apollonius,  &c 114 

Origin  of  the  belief  in 118 

Darkness  attending  the  crucifixion  of  the  Gods 120 

“ “ “ Osiris  and  of  Christ 121 

Origin  of  the  stoiy 123 

Decree  for  killing  infants  by  Herod 81 

By  Cansa 77 

Deified  men,  long  list  of 29 


INDEX. 


883 


Essenes,  history  of 206 

Their  religion  like  that  of  Christ 207 

Many  authorities  cited  in  proof 214 

Genealogy  of  Christ 72 

Gods,  incarnate,  all  smart  in  childhood * 83 

Christ’s,  Chrishna’s,  Osiris’,  and  Sakia’s  early  proofs  of  divinity 86 

Golden  Rule  by  eight  different  writers 303 

Hell,  descent  into,  by  the  Gods 125 

By  Quexalcote,  Prometheus,  and  Christ 126 

History,  moral  lessons  of 369 

Holy  Ghost,  origin  of  the  belief  in 146,  154 

Shape  of 148 

The  third  member  of  the  Trinity 148 

As  a tongue  of  fire 152 

Inspiration  by 152 

Baptism  of 153 

Imparted  by  breathing 153 

Divine  conception  by 153 

Unpardonable  sin  against 155 

Of  Oriental  origin • 157 

As  the  Creator 158 

Dual  or  twofold  nature  of 159 

As  second  member  of  the  Trinity 160 

As  a biblical  title 161 

As  Creator,  origin  of 161 

Mediator  and  Intercessor,  origin  of  the  belief  in 68 

Messianic  Prophecies  in  different  nations 33 

In  India  and  in  China 34 

In  Persia 35 

Miracles  wrought  by  heathen  Gods 263 

By  Alcides  and  Osiris 263 

By  Grecian  Gods 264 

By  Roman  Gods 266 

By  Apollonius 266 

By  Simon  Magus 269 

Miracles  of  many  religions 273 

Pagan  miracles 274 

Catholic  miracles 277 

Satanic  miracles 278 

Of  Christ 279 

Reasoning  on  absurdity  of 296 

Miraculous  birth  of  the  Gods 41 

Oil,  anointing  with,  by  different  nations 178 

By  Mexicans  and  Hindoos 179 


INDEX . 


884 


Precepts  by  various  writers 303 

On  treatment  of  enemies 304 

Of  India 237 

Of  Christina 100 

Of  Sakia 106 

Of  Confucius 272 

Of  Christ 342 

Prophecies  by  different  nations 297 

By  Greece  and  Borne 298 

By  Spiritualists 298 

Jewish  prophecies 299 

On  Babylon  and  Damascus 300 

By  the  figure  of  a serpent 37 

Found  in  heathen  nations 37,  38 

Beligion  of  natural  origin 16 

Beligions  all  alike,  and  why 22 

Bepentance  philosophically  explained 365 

Besurrection  of  the  Saviors 128 

Of  many  heathen  Saviors 128 

Of  Christ 130 

Bival  claims  of  the  Saviors 27 

Boyal  descent  of  the  Saviors 70 

Of  Chrishna,  Sakia,  and  Christ 70 

Sacrament  of  heathen  origin 175 

Practised  by  the  Essenes,  Persians,  &c 176 

Sacred  cycles,  explanation  of 197 

Six  hundred  year  cycles 197 

Six  thousand  year  cycles 202 

Sakia  of  India,  his  life,  character,  and  mission 103 

His  precepts 106 

His  miraculous  birth 50 

His  crucifixion 103 


Note.  — (“  Buddha  is  said  to  have  been  crucified  for  robbing  a garden  of  a flower.”  — 


Anacalypsis,  vol.  ii.  p.  244.) 

Saviors  were  real  persons 88 

Chrishna,  Osiris,  Prometheus,  &c.,  real  persons 88 

Saviors  saved  from  death  in  infancy 76 

Chrishna,  Christ,  Yu,  Bacchus,  &c 77 

Sins,  confession  of,  among  the  heathen • 166 

Stars  figure  at  the  birth  of  the  Gods 53 

Titles  of  the  Saviors — God,  Lord,  Savior,  Creator,  Lamb,  &c.,  &c 66 

Transgression  and  fall  of  man,  heathen  stories  of . * 39 

Persian  and  Hindoo  story  of. . . * 39 


